Before a game, agree that the loser completes a small learning task.
WhenA weekly game with a willing friend
“Finding this took up too much of the time I had to spare for study, I at length refus'd to play any more, unless on this condition, that the victor in every game should have a right to impose a task, either in parts of the grammar to be got by heart, or in translations, etc., which tasks the vanquish'd was to perform upon honour, before our next meeting.”
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter X, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events 1733 onward; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Why it works
Franklin and his acquaintance attached language tasks to chess losses, due before the next meeting. He said their even play advanced their learning.
Start tiny
Agree on a one-sentence translation task in 45 seconds.
What you’ll notice
Notice whether the task is ready before you play again.
When it slips
Do not make the task a punishment. Keep it small, useful, and agreed in advance.
Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography, chapter X, in Frank Woodworth Pine ed. (1916); events 1733 onward; retrospective manuscript written 1771–1790. Read the source ↗
Growth: Practices that need preparation, a recurring slot or a useful tool.
