Firstly, addressing the sore loser! At least you can admit that you are a sore loser – that is a big thing to admit to. To openly say that you are a “sore loser when playing board games” probably doesn’t come cheap, so kudos to you!

That’s the first step…

So how can you cope with being a sore loser on games night? This post may help you with some ways to cope and if you want to know how to handle being a sore loser! Read on for some tips and ideas.

sore loser when playing board games
So… about that rage quit!

how to handle being a sore loser

Winning truly isn’t everything!

Sometimes the best thing about a game is the time spent with friends and family sharing the joy and laughter. Use a bit of this mantra to help you settle into the notion that you can ‘win’ more than just a game. Memories and experiences can go a long way.

Not being awesome at everything and at every board game you play isn’t the end of the world. We are sure you will smash it next time or perhaps you are better at other games?

If you are not great at this game (yet) surely you will be better at something else. That is just the way it goes. And just say to yourself “okay, this isn’t my game” but I’m awesome at this board game instead.

This post covers games you can play in flat share which may give you some new ideas for games to play.

But… With all that being said! I can sympathise. Being thrashed over and over again can be crushing! I want to beat them and I want to beat them now.

You just want to win this game! Just once, is it that big an ask?

Here are some solutions to help you handle being a sore loser. Or form a plot in secret to beat the winners!

  • Sneakily practice, if this is a board game that you are going to play often, consider practicing with other friends and on your own. Look for tips, look for better players, see how they play, and see what you can learn from the better players. Even if you lose. You can take something away from the better players until you win and get better.
  • Play with worse players to boost your own ego! I just realised how awful that sounded but I think there is something potentially very human to what I have just said, even if it is a little ugly. For those that really like to win or are a tad too competitive for their own good, they may need their delicate self-esteem stroked. But, you know. There is a lot more honour in beating the better players if you can train up to it.
  • Play something else. If it bothers you to such an extent, then perhaps don’t play the game you are being beaten at. By being a sore loser it can take the fun out a game not only for you but for the other players too.
  • So if you can’t be a good sport, don’t play the game or perhaps suggest another game where you feel it will be a level playing field. To the next point.
  • Suggest other games. Suggesting other games in which you are at a level skill to other players. Nobody likes to look foolish and that is fine to feel that way. If you feel embarrassed when playing games why not suggest playing something else.
  • Team play. Consider playing games where you play as a unit or a coop in order to meet a common goal. 2 games that I can think of that come to mind are Warhammer 40 K and an out of a print game called Heroquest. These games just to mention 2 allow for team play against a foe.
  • Winning isn’t the only thing. If you are a competitive player that feels they must win at all costs, maybe take a step back. In some games, I don’t actually mind losing… sound strange?

If I have been playing a funny game with family and friends or its a word game that allows for comedy. I would sometimes alternate between answering with a funny joke to get laughs or trying my hardest to win. And you know, sometimes getting the laughs felt better.

You can feel like a winner by walking away and thinking that you have made somebody else’s day.

Remember to, be a sport and completion the winner (if they deserve it) ;-D

sore loser when playing board games

how to handle a sore loser when playing board games

To handle a sore loser when you are hosting a game can be tricky. If the loser has a temper or they really can’t handle losing it can really bring a downer to the whole game evening and jeopardise the future of your board games night!

To handle a sore loser, be a good winner, be kind, shake hands and play different games that are fair for all players.

Pick games that are fair for all players

If the sore loser isn’t as good as other players they will start to get fed up of playing and being beaten all of the time. Nobody likes to lose constantly so if you keep playing the same game, with the same rules and they keep losing they are just going to stop wanting to play.

Make the game a fun and shared experience for all.

Let them select the game

Another good way of handling a sore loser when playing board games could be to let them select the game. They may feel much more comfortable playing a game they feel they are good at. Keep it fair and mix the games up week by week.

Be the bad guy

You can have a lot of fun playing the villain. One way of perhaps suiting everybody, including appeasing a sore player is by playing the bad guy where the odds may be stacked against you.

Games such as Ye olde Heroquest could be a good consideration.

And lastly, the point below is one final and personal account of how to handle a sore loser when playing board games.

We can all be sore losers, kids, and adults.

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Helping a sore loser – let them have it!

When I was growing up, my Dad did something.

He gave me a flavour for winning…

Even though, he let me win. I was so excited about ‘beating’ him it compelled me to want to play and win more! He gave me an appetite for being the winning player at a young age, there is more to this.

He also trained me to be a better loser.

I think it is fair to say, he only ever let me beat him at chess once…

After giving me that small taste of victory. He beat me at chess on every other occasion for as long as I can remember.

I spent years trying to beat him. Frustrated as to why I couldn’t win again. And as I got older I started to understand that I never truly won. He let me win, and in truth, it was a small act of kindness that has stuck with me more than winning the game itself.

He wanted to show me how to win, and how it felt. It felt good…

But things change eventually and wanted to have my victory.

It was a long and arduous battle to beat my dad. Perhaps 20 years. But I won a game of chess eventually!

Sad truth is, the victory wasn’t as sweet as I hoped for. I won!

But then I felt a little deflated. I had beaten my Dad at chess… after all this time I had won but why did I feel deflated afterwards?

I felt a bit hollow about it to tell the truth, and I knew that perhaps I had hit a milestone and so had he.

But all this time had tough me something. I knew in reality there was more to winning the game than to ‘win’. And a lesson I took away once I learned to read between the lines.

From all those times we had played chess together we had built memories, and him allowing me to win at such a young age gave me taste for victory and encouraged me to want to play more in later life.

If he had annihilated me on my first go. I may have never played again.

So what can you take away from that… what kind trick can you play on a downcast player who is tired of being thrashed over and over again?

Let them win, make then feel good about themselves, and continue to enjoy your board games night for the future.

You can take back the crown of being the winner another night.

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sore loser when playing board games | answer

If you are a sore loser when playing games some of the best attitudes to deal with it are as follows; sit back and relax, your turn may come. Practice until you are awesome and remember to play better players.

Or choose another game to play.

And to answer how to handle a sore loser friend when playing games. Remember not to tease them, play different types of games, and make sure they have a sporting chance of winning.

Enjoy,

If you found this post helpful you may wish to share.

Or potentially read some of the posts below

sore loser when playing board games – other posts

External links | Helping out sore losers

*Remember, being a sore loser does not permit you to lash out, be a bully or insult people. And remember host. Allowing the sore loser to take it too far and not challenging them when they over step the mark permits them to do it again!

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