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Board Games · by Miguel Santos · 2026-08-29

What I wish I knew before trying strategy in Lagos

I started this because my rainy evening felt a little stuck, and strategy seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

559 sparks · 132 comments

Comments

Urban Rider · 76 likes

this made me smile more than expected. The 7-minute rule is underrated

Sleepy Runner · 2 likes

I am curious what changed your mind

Piotr Zieliński · 1 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy

Oliver Smith · 62 likes

that would annoy me more then it helped. I learned that one the expensive way. Co-op makes almost anything better

Miguel Santos · 0 likes

That is a good boundary

Ayesha Khan · 12 likes

Kind of wild how often good is the whole issue

Finn Brown · 9 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Miguel Santos · 0 likes

@pk_baker59 Anecdote beats theory here

Amelia Hughes · 1 likes

That is a good boundary

Oliver Smith · 5 likes

I think both things can be true

Valentina Ruiz · 18 likes

That is a much better way to say it

Imogen Clarke · 1 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Laura Gómez · 4 likes

I had the same reaction to disagreement

Ayesha Khan · 48 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability

Paolo Garcia · 38 likes

agree completely. The simple version is underrated. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the kitchen

Curious Panda · 30 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink knew. I would love to see a follow-up after 10 weeks

Valeria López · 29 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes a lot of frustration. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near the train station

Miguel Santos · 28 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller

Pixel Otter · 26 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The useful constraint is probably the real story

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

Appreciate the nuance

Mina Chowdhury · 24 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about knew. For me it came down to the setup

Quiet Sparrow · 20 likes

I like this more then the top-level advice

Curious Noodle · 24 likes

I would not call it wrong just incomplete. The rainy evening version is even more interesting

Cozy Runner · 23 likes

This made me smile more than expected. I would test it for 10 days before deciding

Yui Tanaka · 23 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good

Maya Putri · 22 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing

Finn Brown · 21 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me

Amina Okafor · 20 likes

useful intention, poor execution. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability

Theo Bennett · 20 likes

My version of this was messier but the conclusion was similar. A little friction removed goes a long way

Hana Choi · 20 likes

Glad you shared it; small wins count. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Tiny Marauder · 18 likes

fair point, but I had the opposite experience. The Istanbul example makes it feel concrete

Paper River · 17 likes

This made me smile more than expected. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a family dinner

Miguel Santos · 41 likes

I needed the reminder to start smaller

Luca Bianchi · 16 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. The Warsaw example makes it feel concrete

Amir Tan · 15 likes

Love the tiny experiment energy. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability

Maya Putri · 8 likes

noted, and thank you

Rohan Mehta · 15 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated. A little friction removed goes a long way

Narin Chai · 4 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Theo Bennett · 15 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I keep a note about tabletop for exactly this reason

Benjamín Rojas · 14 likes

Great point, especially the part about lagos. The 2-minute rule is underrated. I can already hear the menu music

Sleepy Comet · 14 likes

that is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The a trailhead detail changes the whole answer. That final turn energy is unbeatable

Rizky Pratama · 13 likes

This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high

Jonas Schneider · 13 likes

wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. The a tiny balcony detail changes the whole answer. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience

Ayesha Khan · 1 likes

Appreciate the nuance

Cozy Fern · 13 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. This is more useful on a tired late summer than on a perfect day

Rapid River · 12 likes

Anecdotally, this tracks with what I have seen. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error. That final turn energy is unbeatable

Tiago Costa · 3 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet

Valeria López · 3 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Maya Williams · 12 likes

I like the idea but the setup probably matters a lot. That is where the boring checklist helps. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience

Valeria López · 40 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant

Benjamín Rojas · 8 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy

Maya Williams · 36 likes

I am stealing that phrase

Mariam Al Mansoori · 23 likes

This is the kind of disagreement I like

Valeria López · 7 likes

@cl_sparrow42 That is a much better way to say it

Miguel Santos · 5 likes

Now I want a spreadsheet

Maya Williams · 2 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn

Rizky Pratama · 1 likes

helpful correction

Elsa Andersson · 4 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant

Omar Hassan · 1 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant

Martina Fernández · 11 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink wish. That is where the boring checklist helps

Laura Gómez · 10 likes

Agree completely. The simple version is underrated

Faisal Al Saud · 10 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I used to overcomplicate this constantly

Budi Santoso · 10 likes

Maybe but the tradeoff seems bigger than the post suggests. It reminds me of a very specific conversation near a neighborhood park

Hugo Martin · 2 likes

that is fair, but I still worry about maintenance

Avery Johnson · 10 likes

this is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. I noticed the same thing in Lisbon. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience

Mara Fischer · 9 likes

The vibe here is immaculate

Maya Williams · 9 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. The a family dinner detail changes the whole answer. Co-op makes almost anything better

Léa Bernard · 8 likes

I wish more posts had this much context. For me it came down to the routine

Maya Williams · 48 likes

I am stealing that phrase

Miguel Santos · 12 likes

I am stealing that phrase

Sophie Gagnon · 2 likes

short answer: yes. Long answer: also yes

Mango Mango · 8 likes

the conclusion is too broad, but teh example is interesting. That is where teh boring checklist helps

Elsa Andersson · 2 likes

yep, the boring details matter

Brave Atlas · 8 likes

What happened after the first week? I am curious whether strategy stayed easy. The the corner shop detail changes the whole answer

Mariam Said · 7 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Camille Dubois · 6 likes

You just saved me a bad purchase

Lukas Huber · 7 likes

I am cheering for this update. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me

Miguel Santos · 5 likes

could be regional too

Cedar Coder · 7 likes

I think the bad version of this advice causes alot of frustration. The first week version is even more interesting. The real boss fight is finding a night everyone is free

Olena Shevchenko · 6 likes

Fair point but I had the opposite experience

Jisoo Park · 6 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. The 10-minute rule is underrated

Piotr Zieliński · 6 likes

Can you share what you tried before this? My only addition is to make the first step visible

Ngozi Bello · 6 likes

That would annoy me more than it helped. The useful part is easy to underestimate

Maya Williams · 5 likes

Amazing how much difference one small change can make. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Quiet Lantern · 5 likes

this is the kind of useful internet I still show up for. My only addition is to make the first step visible. Backlog guilt is a shared cultural experience

Mango Atlas · 5 likes

This feels like advice from a patient friend. I used to overcomplicate this constantly

Sleepy Comet · 5 likes

you explained the tradeoff really clearly. That is the kind of detail beginners miss

Mara Fischer · 5 likes

agree completely. The simple version is underrated. My friend tried it in Warsaw and had the opposite result

Kabir Khan · 4 likes

The boring logistics are always the hidden part. A little friction removed goes a long way. Co-op makes almost anything better

Arif Hasan · 7 likes

Same here. It took me too long to learn

Sophie Gagnon · 4 likes

That is a surprisingly elegant way to frame it. This is more useful on a tired late summer than on a perfect day

Cozy Marauder · 4 likes

Wonderful detail. It makes the whole thing feel real. I care less about the perfect answer and more about repeatability

Yui Tanaka · 3 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. I am curious whether reviews still feels good next month

Rapid Comet · 3 likes

useful intention, poor execution. The the train station detail changes the whole answer

Ananya Rao · 24 likes

helpful correction

Miguel Santos · 3 likes

Beautifully concise

Mariam Said · 18 likes

Thanks for making it less intimidating

Martina Fernández · 7 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated

Miguel Santos · 6 likes

This comment has main-character footnote energy