I used to think my game group was too slow until we tried a 60 minute timer | Board Game Geeks

Quinn Rodriguez · 2026-03-11T09:15:09.32955+00:00

For like a year, our weekly game nights in Columbus would drag on forever, especially with medium weight stuff like Viticulture. We'd spend 20 minutes just debating one move. Last month, my friend Mike brought a little sand timer he got for five bucks and said 'let's try giving each player a hard one minute per turn, total game clock of an hour'. I thought it would ruin the fun, but honestly? It forced us to think on our feet and actually finish a game in one sitting. The vibe changed from overthinking every option to just going with your gut. We've played three games this way now and everyone agrees it's more exciting, even if we make a few more mistakes. Has anyone else used a timer to speed up their group, or did it just add stress?

thomas_campbell7mo ago

That's a really cool idea, honestly. My big question is how you handle the planning between turns. Like, when the timer starts, are you allowed to already have a move in mind, or does everyone have to wait until their turn to even start thinking? Because if you can plan ahead, a minute feels okay, but if it's a complete surprise, that sounds super stressful.

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patricia_morgan7mo ago

@thomas_campbell we plan ahead, timer starts when you have to say your move.

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jennifer_fisher6mo ago

Totally get that. My group does the planning ahead thing too. The timer only runs if you start waffling after your turn starts, so the pressure is off.

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