Insomnia can sometimes be a great motivator to explore new things.

When the ability to sleep at a rational time becomes elusive, I’ve learned to use the time constructively – instead of counting manic, wayward sheep that refuse to have themselves numbered.

This week’s journey down the insomniac’s road led me to explore YouTube uploads between 1 and 4 in the morning.

First, I lost a game of Just Play Bridge in a painful and spectacularly embarrassing show of tiredness. Then, I decided that it was time to dip into the rules of other games.

I’ll share them with you,  of course.

Here are 6 video guides (to contract bridge & more).

1. A beginner’s guide to D&D

Dungeons & Dragons is a board game classic, but remains unexplored for thousands of players who haven’t discovered it yet. It can seem complex at first, but also provides a rich game experience great for fans of role-play, storytelling, and strategy.

Here’s a guide by uploader Sherlock Holmes that unpacks the very basics of the game in just under 26 minutes.

Instead of binge-watching another sitcom episode, watch this and learn a whole new board game.

2. How to play Magic: The Gathering

While Magic: The Gathering is technically a complex game, the real complexity can be found in the amount of playable cards (and their potential strategies). The rules themselves are simple enough.

From the official Magic: The Gathering channel, view this video exploring the most basics about MTG in just five minutes.

3. How To Play Yu-Gi-Oh! in 3 Minutes

My first explorative journey into trading-card games began with Yu-Gi-Oh! – and so could yours.

Duel Monsters (as it’s also called) isn’t complicated, but strategy can be. That’s what makes it fun.

If you want to learn the rules, here’s a 3 minute summary of the most basics. From the same uploader, you can also view a much longer explanation of how the game has been updated (for tournament rules and new cards) in 2020.

4. How To Play UNO

Uno is one of the most popular card games that doesn’t use a traditional card deck – and by many standards, you could also refer to it as a trick-taking game. Have you ever played it?

Here’s a short guide from Mr Animate that describes the most basic rules of Uno, the card game. Within related videos, you’ll also find guides for other forms of Uno.

5. Top 10 chess openings

From uploader thechesswebsite, I discovered this guide to 10 important chess openings – and within under 10 minutes.

It’s the most comprehensive you’ll find in a quick video, and with just watching it a few times, you’ll already know a little more than a great deal of casual chess players out there.

Starting your chess journey? Begin it here.

6. Learn to play bridge (in 5 minutes)

This post couldn’t be written without a reference to bridge! Here’s one of the best video introductions to the game you can ever pass on to a new player, courtesy of Peter Hollands – one of the great bridge uploaders of today.