# Games you play "wrong" **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 22, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202 "2020-11-22T18:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2020, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/61 "2020-11-28T22:46:55Z")
Not video game related, but in the batter’s box I tend to whip the bat around, flying behind me, whether it’s a hit or strike. Usually the catcher and ump have to duck. I know this wrong, but that’s just the way I roll - they get used to it. Play field hokey left-handed. (why the hell are all the sticks USELESSLY right-handed?) In footy, if a player tries to shield me from accessing my ball going out of play, I sometimes might accidentally-on-purpose bring my cleats into the back of his lower shin. Croquet is for rampant, unbridled cheating. Not a pro tennis player, but sometimes smacking a ball at an errant line judge can do wonders for their competence. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/62 "2020-11-28T23:14:41Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I used to play Magic the Gathering a lot with my friends back in the mid-90s, except we didn’t bother with the whole “building a deck” thing; instead, we kept all our cards in a shoebox, divided them out randomly before we started, and played with whatever we got. It led to some very long, very messy, very fun games. That’s how we did it circa 1994. Except everyone in my own group just had a “deck” that consisted of all the cards they owned. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/63 "2020-11-28T23:34:54Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The Australian Stronghold. I almost never lose. That is the preferred strategy, but playing with a group that all play that strategy makes for a weird game. My second strategy that has a pretty good win rate is the South America stronghold. I may have only 1 win not employing those. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/64 "2020-11-29T00:38:23Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > …a player tries to shield me from accessing my ball going out of play, I sometimes might accidentally-on-purpose bring my cleats into the back of his lower shin… > > …Not a pro tennis player, but sometimes smacking a ball at an errant line judge can do wonders for their competence. ‘Fair’ on the first. I hated that tactic, and was frequently quick enough to try and sidestep them when they did it, then ‘shoulder block’ them into next week. Ball? What ball? (I wasn’t quick enough to try and kick one of their legs into the ball before it went out of bounds. I’ve seen it happen though. Hilarious.) On the second, I’ve not played organized tennis, but doing something like that in organized golf or soccer, gets you kicked out, if not banned from the league for the season. Got to watch my best friend’s brother take umbrage at the ref in a soccer game—the ref had blown the call, but still—picked up the ball, and overhand threw it at the ref’s head. Tweet! Red Card, out for season, off the varsity team. Nowadays, he’d have been cuffed. Don’t touch the refs. Even if the lazy shits deserve it. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/65 "2020-11-29T01:46:10Z")
Actually that was silly-goosage, despite it being not uncommon for footy chippiness like that. I will say, though, that back in the day you didn’t want to be my doubles partner in Pong because I always hogged our playing space. I’ve been told I can get a bit “coachy” at bubble hockey and foosball. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/66 "2020-11-29T04:19:52Z")
After we more or less mastered Mario kart Wii, we started playing crash up with the non-player character cars, lying in wait for them at narrow checkpoints, and also racing backwards on the courses (where possible), etc. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/67 "2020-11-29T04:27:59Z")
Russian roulette. I always cheat. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/68 "2020-11-29T10:41:59Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > That’s how we did it circa 1994. Except everyone in my own group just had a “deck” that consisted of all the cards they owned. Our problem was that one of us had a lot more disposable cash than the rest, thanks to a father who would rather give money than attention. If everyone used the cards they bought, it wouldn’t be much of a contest; instead, we all just bought what we could afford and tossed it in the box. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/69 "2020-11-29T12:17:36Z")
**Uno** : Like a bunch of others, we always played that you kept drawing until you could play a card. I’m gonna have to go look at the rules. [Googles the rules] Sure enough, that’s what it says. Also didn’t know (a) the person on the receiving end of a Draw Two or Wild Draw Four lost their turn as well, and (b) you can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t play a regular card. **Crazy 8s** : Not sure there really _are_ any official rules for this game. **Monopoly** : We always played Go and Free Parking straight, but two other things come to mind: first, I’ve never been in a game where interest was charged on un-mortgaging a property. Hell, I’ve never been in a game where anyone even _suggested_ we do so. Everyone knew the rule was there, but nobody thought it was worth bothering with. Second, [here’s a rule](https://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/monins.pdf) I didn’t realize even _existed_ until I re-read the rules when the Firebug got old enough to play: > You get out of Jail by…(1) throwing doubles on any of your next three turns; if you succeed in doing this you immediately move forward the number of spaces shown by your doubles throw; **even though you had thrown doubles, you do not take another turn** ; Bolding mine. Never, ever, have I heard anyone even _mention_ this rule. IME, everybody always takes a second turn after rolling doubles to get out of jail, without giving it a second thought because you _always_ get another turn after the first or second time you roll doubles. I have no idea why this one exception would be in the rules, but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/70 "2020-11-29T16:49:25Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > (b) you can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t play a regular card. Wrong. You can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t match the color. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/71 "2020-11-29T17:07:37Z")
I had been playing chess with my parents for years and years before we learned the “en passant” rule. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/72 "2020-11-30T00:15:15Z")
We always played that way, doubles only got you out of jail. As for the 10% thing, nobody wanted to do the math. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/73 "2020-11-30T00:54:03Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@RTFirefly](#): > > > > (b) you can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t play a regular card. > > Wrong. You can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t match the color. However, that is implemented by a challenge process, which has the downside that the challenger (who must be the one who was made to draw four cards) will have to draw an additional 2 cards if they are wrong. But, if the challenge is successful, the person who played the card draws four instead. I can see why implementing such a rule would be left out, same as the auction rule—if people don’t want to bother, then it won’t happen. BTW, I didn’t actually remember the official UNO rules. I actually thought it was UNO we played wrong, borrowing the rules from Crazy Eights until I looked it up to be confirm. BTW, I have an old DOS version of UNO, written in the 1980s or '90s, which follows all the stated rules. I can confirm that at least it also only allows you to draw one card before turn goes to the other player. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/74 "2020-11-30T01:29:48Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Wrong. You can only play a Wild Draw Four if you can’t match the color. Yeah, I was putting that in on edit, so I was kinda rushed. Seems like a weird place to draw the line, though: why color but not number? ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/75 "2020-11-30T02:05:10Z")
Because you can’t be forced to change the color of the cards? Strategically, it might hurt you. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/76 "2020-11-30T12:13:37Z")
While both of these are good strategies, they usually fail against a group of experienced players. As I said, the “secret” is in the cards. Strongholds are OK (if you can get them, without expending many troops) but what you really want to do is bide your time, maintain footholds across the map and invade an easy country (or two) each turn to take a card. When the set values are sufficient to wipe out the easiest opponent with the most cards, you trade in and wipe him out, while keeping your next target in mind. Add his cards to yours, trade in again and go after the next opponent. Rinse and repeat. With some luck with starting territories and dice rolls, I can win a game in 7-10 turns with real people or 4-6 turns against the computer. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/77 "2020-11-30T13:55:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > **Uno** : Like a bunch of others, we always played that you kept drawing until you could play a card. I’m gonna have to go look at the rules. [Googles the rules] Sure enough, that’s what it says. That’s not how I read it. From [Mattel](https://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/42001pr.pdf) it says , > If you don’t have anything that matches, you must pick a card from the DRAW pile. If you draw a card that can play, play it. Otherwise play moves to the next person. That says to me, one card only, but you can play it if it is playable. Our house rules are that cards like Skip, Reverse, Draw Two and Draw Four cards can be used as defense cards. You get a Red Draw Two played on you, you can use a Red Reverse card to send it back, or Skip to the next player, or put another Draw Two down to add another two cards to the next player, who can then Reverse it back to you so you have to draw 4 cards. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/78 "2020-11-30T16:11:03Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > That’s not how I read it. From [Mattel](https://service.mattel.com/instruction_sheets/42001pr.pdf) it says Yes, that’s what I was agreeing with. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/79 "2020-11-30T22:32:10Z")
Exactly the plan, collect maximum cards, try to turn in ones you own for the 2 piece bonus. The key is the fixed amount for the cards and not the increasing amount. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202/80 "2020-11-30T22:41:46Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > ssian roulette. I always cheat. I play with an automatic. The trick is to make the other guy go first. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/games-you-play-wrong/926202.md?page=5)