Overheard a guy at the game store say he 'speed runs' Catan and I had questions

I was at Dragon's Lair in San Antonio last Saturday picking up an expansion for something else and this dude at the next table was telling his buddy he can finish a 4-player game of Catan in 18 minutes flat. At first I thought he meant online with the fast dice rolls but no, he meant with actual physical pieces and trading. He said the trick is to refuse every trade unless it gives you at least a 3-to-1 advantage and to never build roads unless you're going for longest. I sat there thinking about how that's basically the opposite of how I play where I spend 5 minutes talking someone into giving me a brick for two sheep. It made me wonder if there's a whole hidden competitive speed scene for games that are supposed to be chill. Has anyone else run into people who treat board games like a race?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley7292d ago

Wouldn't that just make the game boring and take away all the fun of negotiating?

ray_miller411d ago

Ngl, some people act like they're playing a cutthroat business simulator instead of a video game. Unless you're launching a hostile takeover of a virtual lemonade stand, maybe calm down a bit. Honestly, if removing one annoying mechanic "ruins the fun" for you, then you probably just enjoy watching people squirm more than the actual game. Tbh, I'd rather have a good time than spend 20 minutes squabbling over digital Monopoly money. But hey, you do you, just don't act like it's the end of the world.