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Welcome to the home of the How to Play Podcast; A Podcast about learning and teaching games. We all know that the best way to learn a game is to have it taught to you by someone who knows the game well. That is what The How to Play Podcast is all about. Its like you are hearing an explanation of how…

Ryan Sturm


    • Aug 15, 2018 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 55m AVG DURATION
    • 66 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from How To Play Podcast » Podcast

    Episode 46 – Trade on the Tigris

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2018 49:56


      Trade on the Tigris Teaching Guide Trade on the Tigris Teaching Guide B&W Released: August 15th, 2018 In this episode I teach you to play the game I co-designed with Geoff Engelstein on the Ludology Podcast, Trade on the Tigris.  This game started its life called “Trading in the Mediterranean,” and six [...]

    Episode 45 – Merchants and Marauders

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2014 62:35


    Released: February 18th, 2014     In this episode you get to listen in on Ryan’s explanation of Merchant and Marauders, whose tutorial was won as an item for the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund.  Though not truly an official episode, hopefully it might sate some of your longing for new HTP episodes. [...]

    Episode 44 – Clash of Cultures

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2013 101:43


      Clash of Cultures Teaching Guide Clash of Cultures Teaching Guide BW Released: June 29th, 2013        Show Notes: I present to you Clash of Cultures.  Which is a wonderful civilization game.  This epic meaty strategy game could not be denied an episode of How to Play.  It is [...]

    Episode L – Ryan’s Reviews

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2013 34:39


    In this episode I pull together several of my dice tower reviews for your listening pleasure while I am taking a bit of a break from producing How to Play. Reviews included are; Glory to Rome: Black Box Edition 1989 High Frontier Urban Sprawl Runewars The Settlers of Catan: Traders and Barbarians Enjoy!

    Episode 43 – Merchant of Venus

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2013 76:29


    Merchant of Venus Teaching Guide Merchant of Venus Teaching Guide BW Released: January 1st, 2013         Game Description: Merchant of Venus.  A wonderful blending of the excitement of an exploration game with the strategy of an economic game.  It is a fabulous adventure through space.  With the recent [...]

    Episode 42 – Ora et Labora

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2012 46:52


    Ora & Labora Teaching Guide Ora & Labora Teaching Guide BW Released: November 17th, 2012        Show Notes: Its time to cover Uwe Rosenberg’s third great resource management game, Ora et Labora.  This game enhances his previously developed ideas by adding a geographical element to the game.  If you like his [...]

    Episode 41 – Mage Knight

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2012 82:10


    Mage Knight Teaching Guide Mage Knight Teaching Guide B&W Released: October 27th, 2012  Show Notes: So you say you want a great solo game experience to get your geek on when nobody’s around? Mage Knight is your game.  Its a wonderful thematic fantasy adventure game with a strong puzzle element which makes [...]

    Episode 40 – Goa

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2012 60:19


    Goa Teaching Guide Goa Teaching Guide BW Released: September 30th, 2012   Show Notes: Today I cover one of the greats of the “eurogame” genre.  This game has a wonderful auction system and delicious decisions.  Even better it has just been rereleased in an even improved version of an excellent game just [...]

    Episode 39 – Eclipse

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2012 96:44


    Eclipse Teaching Guide Eclipse Teaching Guide BW   Released: August 8th, 2012   Show Notes: Today I cover Eclipse which was the overwhelming favorite as the next game to be covered by How to Play as chosen by the supporters.  Eclipse is an amazingly fun 4x game.  What is a 4x game?  [...]

    Episode 38 – Rex

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2012 81:22


      Rex Teaching Guide   Rex Teaching Guide (B&W)   Released: July 11th, 2012   Show Notes: You want a great theme with strong mechanics, Rex fits the bill.  The six colorful races of Rex fight it out for control of the universe, six races who were begging and pleading me [...]

    Episode K – My Least Favorite Things

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2012 42:35


    In this episode I compile my Dice Tower segment Series, ” I Don’t Like _______”  which aired on episodes between February 2011 and February 2012.  This compilation is annotated with some thoughts in between each segment as I take a listen back to each segment.  This episode is also a final push to complete our [...]

    Episode J – How to Play’s Top 50 Green Circle Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2012 88:33


    Top 50 For this episode I do something very different.  I count down my Top 50 Green Circle Games.  I love complex games, but I also love great simple games.  Here is a list of my top 50 simple games.  This episode also kicks off my summer fundraiser, please donate today! Here [...]

    Episode 37 – Carson City

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2012 66:56


    Carson City Teaching Guide Carson City Teaching Guide B&W Released: May 6th, 2012       Game Description:  It’s Caylus … but with guns!  That’s right, if you don’t like that your neighbor placed his cowboy in that box, well then just put your man in there and cock your pistol hum [...]

    Episode 36x – Expansions and Spinoffs in the Catan Series

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2012 29:02


    In this episode I dig into the universe of Catan and the works of Klaus Teuber.  This episode will give a basic overview of the expansions, variants, scenarios, spinoffs and other assorted Klaus Teuber games.

    Episode 36 – The Settlers of Catan

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2012 31:21


      Teaching Guide for Settlers Teaching Guide for Settlers BW Released: April 15th, 2012 Original Show Notes: Settlers of Catan is my favorite game strictly for fun player interaction.  Each game involves negotiation, diplomacy and lots of laughs.  This game is responsible for my rediscovery and current addiction and indirectly for entirety [...]

    Episode I – All I Really Need to Know

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2012 23:32


    This is a compilation of a 5 part series that originally aired on The Dice Tower Podcast in the Summer and Fall of 2010.  In this series I examine some of the deeper life lessons that can be learned from playing board games.  The scripts for the five segments are posted below.   All I [...]

    Episode 35 – Twilight Struggle

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2012 59:59


    Twilight Struggle Teaching Guide Twilight Struggle Teaching Guide B&W Released: March 25th, 2012   Game Description: USA vs USSR.  The struggle to alter the course of human history.  Twilight struggle is a two player card driven game with the well integrated theme of the cold war.  Twilight Struggle is one of the greatest [...]

    Episode 29w – How to Win Through the Ages

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2012 82:27


    Date Released: February 12th, 2012  Description: In this third “How to Win” episode I tackle Through the Ages with my good friend and fellow TTA fan, Geoff Englestein.

    Episode 34 – Die Burgen von Burgund

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2012 49:47


        Die Burgen von Burgund Teaching Guide Die Burgen von Burgund Teaching Guide BW Released: January 17th, 2012         Game Description: A great medium weight game couples game.  In this game players are simply choosing tiles and adding them to their “estate” to score points.  So simple yet so [...]

    Episode H – 2011 Review and Top 50 Update

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2012 55:49


    In this episode I talk about the games that I played this year, muse on the year in gaming and present an updated list for my Top 50 favorite games of all time.  I discuss all games I played many are new and some are older games. Here is the list  games: How to Play’s [...]

    Episode 33 – Game of Thrones

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2011 77:24


                Game of Thrones Teaching Guide Game of Thrones Teaching Guide BW Release Date: December 20th, 2011       Game Description: Game of Thrones is one of my favorite games because it lets me be a part of one of my favorite stories.  It is also an [...]

    Episode 32 – Advanced Civilization

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2011 76:15


    Advanced Civilization Teaching Guide Advanced Civilization Teaching Guide B&W Released: November 13th, 2011         Game Description: A classic in board games and an amazing boardgame experience.  Sure it may take 10-12 hours to play, but this game is worth a whole day of gaming.  Expand your people across the board, [...]

    The HTP Method for Teaching Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2011 0:01


    Here is my original article on teaching games that I wrote on March 9th, 2008 with which the methods I used to eventually develop the How to Play Podcast. Feel free to read the article or listen to the audio version, Episode A, by playing the episode at the top of this page. How To [...]

    Episode 31 – Airlines Europe

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2011 48:54


    Airlines Europe Teaching Guide Airlines Europe Teaching Guide (B&W) Released: October 2nd, 2011       Game Description: Airlines Europe is the twenty year evolution of the original game Airlines.  This game involves route building and stock collection is a tense, fast enjoyable experience.  If you like ticket to ride [...]

    Episode 30 – Troyes

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2011 0:01


    Troyes Teaching Guide Troyes Teaching Guide B&W Released: August 20th, 2011         Game Description: Troyes is a game about building a medieval French city by exploiting your influence in the three realms of the nobility, the clergy and the peasants who are represented by dice. Original Show Notes: [...]

    Episode 4x – Expansion Maps for Age of Steam

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2011 53:57


    Date Released: August 1st, 2011 Game Description: In Part 2 of my conversation with Ted Alspach we talk about some of our favorite maps for Age of Steam. Exploring our favorite maps for different numbers of players, different skill levels and preview some of Ted’s upcoming Age of Steam Maps. [...]

    Episode 4w – How to Win Age of Steam

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2011 60:05


    Released: July 29th, 2011 Show Description: In this episode I get a chance to discuss strategy for my favorite game, Age of Steam with a very special guest, Ted Alspach. Ted is the designer of many games and notably over forty maps for the game Age of Steam which definitely qualifies him as an [...]

    Episode 29 – Through the Ages Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2011 70:31


    Episode 29 – Through the Ages

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2011 78:37


    Through the Ages Teaching Guide Through the Ages Teaching Guide B&W Released: July 19th, 2011         Game Description: Through the Ages is an innovative game with the classic theme of building a civilization.  Through the Ages accomplishes its grand scope by using cards to represent all of the [...]

    Episode 28 – Acquire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2011 41:09


    Acquire Teaching Guide Acquire Teaching Guide B&W Released: June 4th, 2011         Game Description: Today we cover a classic in board games, Acquire. This game from 1962 holds up with some of the greatest modern games in our hobby. If you are unfamiliar with this game, you owe [...]

    Episode 15 – Caylus

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2011 93:58


    Caylus Teaching Guide Caylus Teaching Guide (B&W) Also be sure to check out the “How to Win” Caylus Episode Released: May 10th, 2010         Game Description: The original worker placement game and the best.  No luck, just skill in this game as you compete against your opponents to collect [...]

    Episode 15w – How to Win Caylus

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2011 52:06


    Released: April 26th, 2011 Original Show Notes: This is the first of a potential series of episodes moving beyond learning a game to Advanced Strategy. This podcast is intended for experienced players of the game looking to take their play to the next level.

    Episode 27 – Race for the Galaxy

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2011 46:19


    Race for the Galaxy Teaching Guide Race for the Galaxy Teaching Guide B&W Released: April 12th, 2011         Game Description: Space. The Final Frontier. Our quest: to bravely go where no card game has gone before. (besides San Juan, but that doesn’t really count cause it was sort [...]

    Episode 26 – Shogun

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2011 63:26


    Shogun Teaching Guide Shogun Teaching Guide B&W Released: March 21st, 2011         Game Description: In this episode we get into the exciting Japanese themed game Shogun. This unique game combines some wonderful mechanics with a well integrated theme for a great experience. You will have a great time [...]

    Episode 25 – Hansa Teutonica

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2011 49:23


    Hansa Teutonica Teaching Guide Hansa Teutonica Teaching Guide B&W Released: February 6th, 2011         Game Description: A wonderfully simple quick and exciting game.  Players are competing to claim routes as traders in Germany.  They claim routes to earn special abilities and score victory points.  The theme is pretty unnecessary [...]

    Episode G – Evolution of Game Mechanics

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2011 40:09


    Released: January 2nd, 2011 Original Show Notes: So here is an extended musings to go along with Episode #24 on the evolution of board game mechanics. Fortunately I had the chance to discuss this with Gametek’s Geoff Engelstein. We have about a 40 minute discussion that ranges from the evolution of recent mechanics, to obsolescence [...]

    Episode 24 – Dominant Species

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2011 62:26


    Dominant Species Teaching Guide Dominant Species Teaching Guide B&W Released: January 2nd, 2011         Game Description: This worker placement game takes you through the evolution of a species.  You will be forced to adapt both your species and you can affect your environment in order to become THE [...]

    Episode F – HTP’s Top 50 Games as of 2010

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2010 72:52


    Released: December 11th, 2010 Show Description: Today you are in for a special episode. I count down my personal favorite fifty games of all time as of 2010. I give a brief description of each game, and describe why it made the list. You can view or print the list here; How to Play’s Top [...]

    Episode 23 – Notre Dame

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2010 61:59


    Notre Dame Teaching Guide Notre Dame Teaching Guide B&W Released: November 22nd, 2010         Game Description: This unique game is all about resource management.  You can never run out of money or cubes, you must always fight off the rat threat and somehow in between find a way [...]

    Episode 22 – Khronos

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2010 69:29


    Khronos Teaching Guide Khronos Teaching Guide B&W Released: October 20th, 2010         Game Description: This game uses a very fun theme of time travel in which players are playing tiles on three different time periods of boards and if you play in an earlier time period it appears [...]

    Episode 21 – Colosseum

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2010 52:20


    Colosseum Teaching Guide Colosseum Teaching Guide B&W Released: October 1st, 2010         Game Description: This is one of my favorite mid-weight games.  This game is about collecting various assets such as gladiators, musicians and scenery to put on shows in your own roman colosseum.  It has a lot of interactive [...]

    Episode 20 – Magic Realm

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2010 107:57


    Magic Realm Teaching Guide Magic Realm Teaching Guide B&W Released: September 2nd, 2010         Game Description: Magic Realm is an older game that attempted to recreate the classic fantasy roleplaying game experience and recreate it as a boardgame.  In order to do so the designer included a LOT of [...]

    Episode E – How to Paint Miniatures

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2010 35:37


    Released: August 14th, 2010 Show Description: This episode hopes to inspire you to give painting miniatures a try. I start with a motivational speech and then launch into equipment you need to paint your game pieces. I follow that with a brief description of the basics of painting miniatures and include a few of the [...]

    Episode 19 – Shadows Over Camelot

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2010 0:01


    Shadows Over Camelot Teaching Guide Shadows Over Camelot Teaching Guide B&W Be sure to check out the episode on Painting Miniatures here to learn how to make your mini’s beautiful.  Like This… Released: August 13th, 2010         Game Description: Shadows over Camelot is a cooperative game about saving Camelot [...]

    Episode 18 – Alhambra

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2010 48:10


    Alhambra Teaching Guide Alhambra Teaching Guide B&W Released: August 4th, 2010         Game Description: Today we cover a fabulous gateway game, Alhambra. This is a great midweight game to bring out with family or friends. This game is a clever mix of set collection and tile placement with the [...]

    Episode 17 – Le Havre

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2010 68:08


    Le Havre Teaching Guide Le Havre Teaching Guide B&W Released: July 21st, 2010         Game Description: Another great worker placement game.  Each turn you are simply making the choice of taking a pile of resources or using a building.  But which resources to take or which building to use?  [...]

    Episode D – Overviews and Opinions of the Top 50 Games

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2010 75:42


    Released: June 29th, 2010 Show Description: In this episode I discuss not my Top 50 but I examine the Top 50 games at BGG as of June 2010. I give you a short summary of the games’ themes and mechanics and my rating and personal opinion of each game. I start the episode by musing [...]

    Episode 16 – Medici

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2010 48:14


    Medici Teaching Guide Medici Teaching Guide B&W Released: June 8th, 2010         Game Description: Medici is a clean and beautiful auction game.  Its the ultimate game of “whats it worth?”  As players bid their victory points to try to earn more victory points.  A must own game. Original [...]

    Episode 14 – Citadels

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2010 42:33


    Citadels Teaching Guide Citadels Teaching Guide (B&W) Released: April 13th, 2010         Game Description: The game that did Role Selection and Card Drafting before it was cool.  This is a wonderfully fun game about drafting a role and playing that game of doublethink.  If i take this then he [...]

    Episode 13 – 1830

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2010 108:30


    1830 Teaching Guide 1830 Teaching Guide (B&W) Released: April 4th, 2010         Game Description: This is an epically awesome railroad game.  In this game you will invest in multiple railroad companies, build their tracks, and attempt to increase their stock value without getting left behind in the train technology [...]

    Episode C – Game Quiz

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2010 46:04


    Released: March 15th, 2010 Show Description: I’ve always loved game shows so I thought it would be fun to put together this quiz after episode 12.  Unfortunately I found it a lot more fun than the listeners.  60 questions about the first12 games covered on the How to Play podcast. How well do you [...]

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