boardgames

Learning a board game if no one's played it before can easily takes an hour and sometimes more in addition to the suggested play time, to figure out the set up and fully read and understand the rules.

I don't know what kind of friends would be upset at you being tired. The only time I might be annoyed is if you continually overcommit (ask to play a game you know takes all night then leave early).

I suggest you tell your friends whenabouts you need to leave, at the start and/or the middle of your hangout so they can set their expectations accordingly.

If the Alchemist game you think you would enjoy if you just weren't confused by the gameplay, have someone walk you through it, looking at your hand/pieces and tell you what to play and why for a round. I think part of the issue is that you need to communicate early and clearly so that you don't have to suffer in silence. A board game hangout shouldn't be something you dread; if it is then do something else. If it's that the game just isn't sparking your interest, 5-10 minutes into the rules you can stop and tell them that this doesn't feel interesting.