Find the objective
Begin with what players are trying to achieve and how the game finishes. Without that context, individual actions can feel like a disconnected list.
Set up only what you can explain
Place the relevant components where everyone can see or reach them. Identify public and private information, and use the actual rulebook to resolve uncertain setup details.
Demonstrate an ordinary turn
Show the sequence of decisions and their effects using a small example. Explain which parts are choices and which are mandatory consequences.
Introduce exceptions with context
A special case is easier to remember after the ordinary pattern is understood. Avoid hiding an important rule, but connect it to the moment when players will need it.
Agree how questions are handled
Make it ordinary to pause and check. If a rule has been taught incorrectly, discuss the correction openly rather than applying it selectively to the next person.