ItsEvil Weekat Lifehacker, which means were looking into less-than-seemly methods for getting shit done.
Thats up to you.
Scrabble
People always think that all book nerds love Scrabble.
Some of us dont!
Scrabble isnt really about words; its just about combinations of letters.
If youre a Scrabble hater forced into a game, get back with these stingy strategies.
Block the squares
Most Scrabble strategies involve maximizing your point total.
But its also important to minimize your opponents point total.
Dont leave them any opening to build onto a double- or triple-word square.
(I learned this strategy by playing Words With Friends against a Republican.)
That person is a loser.
Take advantage of their generosity, but dont give back.
Memorizetwo-letter wordsso you’re able to buildparallel wordsthat clog up the board instead of branching out.
This is a legal move!
If an opponent challenges you, youll lose points.
But if they challenge you and the wordisin the Scrabble dictionary, they lose their turn.
So build up a fear of that risk.
Its useful to play a couple of obscure words before you play your fake one.
make a run at make a word thatfeelsreal.
It keeps your opponent wary about challenging.
Even if they know thatyoumade up the word, it might still be real.
And that would still count in your favor.
The rules dont say you have to know a words definition, or even that it exists.
And once the next player takes a turn, yours can no longer be challenged.
Most online versions of Scrabble wont let you play fake words.
Humiliate a beginner with a fast checkmate
Win in two moves with theFools Mate.
This only works in specific openings, against an inexperienced player, when you go second.
And in theLegal Trap, White lures in Black with a queen sacrifice before making an early checkmate.
Monopoly
The Monopoly end-game is stressful.
But not stressful enough.
Add some pain with a housing crisis and a post-jail penalty.
But when you run out of houses, thats itno one gets to build any more.
Housing is supposed to be limited,according to the rules.
So buy up those magentas and oranges.
But if you bug your opponents too much, they can retaliate.
Here are some high-impact dick moves.
Even though this is covered in the rules, players regularly ask about iton the /r/catan subreddit.
If youre not sure who has what resources,you’ve got the option to just ask.
Simply pretend youre asking for a trade: Got any brick for wheat?
And when they say yes, play your monopoly card and grab their brick.
That is, if they havent lied.
If you hit a hex that only they benefit from, the robber will sit there all round.
When their turn finally comes, if they get revenge, youll be able to respond immediately.
As with Monopoly, your game ends with either a slow march toward death, or an unsatisfying surrender.
Feint toward an ally
Dont immediately build up forces on the border that faces your next target.
First build up near someone you could intimidate, but dont actually want to invade.
Then cut a deal with them, and move your armies over to ambush your actual enemy.
Ideally, another player shouldbreak that hold right before the players next turn.
Instead, you better impress upon your fellow players the importance of stopping the continental monopoly.
Avoid getting near that continent, so you have an excuse for not helping.
Promise to help out whoever breaks the monopoly.
Be careful: This takes some careful negotiation, and other experienced players wont fall for it.
Connect Four
Connect Four, like Tic-Tac-Toe, is mathematically solved.
Players start with just three pieces to maneuver, and no one player can win without occasional help.
Collectible card gameMagic: The Gatheringis full of moves that use your opponents power against them.
So is deck-building card gameDominion.
The party gameWerewolfis all about lying or manipulating your fellow players.
Fall for obvious lies; go on insane game-theory rants.
