> To have a loyal friend in these games who lets you win at their own expense, is a good strategy - you'll simply win a lot more games that way.

I think that's only true if your goal is to win. I play board games to have fun with friends and family, and winning every time - especially because someone else hands you a win - is no fun at all.

I agree! But that's also why I agree with modern game designers and prefer games where politics is minimized.