I have an interesting case where I used to play once a week, 3 player games, with randomized kingdoms from all the decks. For about a year or two we were all about equal in skill. However now we haven't had time to play every week. While I have read more articles, watched hundreds of YouTube videos, and played more then a 1000 games online in the past year, they only still play when we get together.
Here's what normally happens.
1. I recognize its clearly a BM board, go for it, win easily, but we all still have fun because its fast paced
2. I try a crazy engine that should never work and doesn't, I lose, We all still have fun because someone beat me even though the game might have been tedious.
3. I go for a complex but winning engine, everyone hates me because my turns took 5 minutes each and they stood no chance the whole game.
SO to avoid such situations as the last one you just have to play boring winning strategies, or complex and fun losing strategies. Of course number 3 has been coming up more and more these days haha