My fiancee is not a nerd.
She has a science background, but has little interest in fantasy, sci-fi, games, any of that. She likes Grey's Anatomy, teaching our somewhat challenged dog basic tricks, and recreational sports.
I never had an issue with that, we had lots in common above and beyond those things, but I always felt bad when I had people over to play Magic and she'd retreat to the office or bedroom to read or do homework. I wanted her to play, and offered to teach her, but she was intimidated. She'd watched a few games of Commander and was floored by the number of rules, the number of cards, the way my group just knew what cards did.
So, for the first 6 months we were together, she sat games out.
The first P: no Pressure. People have different interests, and I was grateful she let me have my hobby and was understanding of the time I gave it.
She came around eventually, and I was thrilled to share my hobby with her. We started with Commander. A daunting choice, but a lot of people become attached to their Commander decks, and foiling it/customizing it becomes its own hobby, in a way. I had a Jhoira deck, an homage to the foil Jhoira I pulled out of a Future Sight fat pack and then traded away (like an idiot); and my fiancee, being a pretty redhead herself, took a liking to Jhoira. She learned the ins and outs of the deck, loved suspending giant robots, and loved the mana the deck could make.
She'd miss triggers, forget to attack, miss land drops. But we were playing Magic together, and some things are more important than having every single game flow smoothly. And she would be so happy when she made a good play.
The second P is for Patience. Don't lose sight of the fact you're having fun; you weren't that great a player when you first started playing, either. Focus more on sharing the experience with someone close to you.
This ties in directly to the third P: Prompt. Gently remind your SO about things like land drops if you notice they have cards in hand. Ask how much damage you're taking if you're tapped out, have no blocks, and their 2/2 General is on the battlefield. These reminders usually lead to me getting my ass kicked by an Eldrazi or something, but she has more fun. I can take a few game losses if it means she has fun, stays engaged, and wants to play again.
My fiancee's come a long way, and she often wins 1v1 games, and has a good shot at winning multiplayer games. She hasn't quite mastered some of the more subtle nuances of the game, but she plays well, makes good decisions, and like I said above, wins.
Enter the fourth P: Praise. This is difficult for some people I know, and it's not something that has to be overdone. But when your SO makes an awesome play, let them know. They're learning the game, and the first time I lost to my fiancee, I felt genuine pride. I let her know, and her smile lit up the room.
Now, this approach might not work for everyone. The reason I wrote this is because people are different. But a patient, guiding, no pressure approach can't hurt. And when they play well, let them know.
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