The alpha player problem in cooperative games is real and requires deliberate social management. The pattern: one experienced player directs all decisions while others execute. This destroys engagement for everyone except the alpha. The game becomes a solo experience with extra hands.

Solutions that work: communication constraints (propose once, no direct instructions), rotating 'captain' roles, physical separation of player information, and direct conversation about the dynamic before it becomes a problem.

Games that structurally resist alphaing: Spirit Island (individual powers on separate parts of the board), Magic Maze (no verbal communication), The Crew (information restriction by design). If your group struggles with this, these games engineer the problem away rather than relying on social norms.