Anybody who has ever broken out their copy of Taboo to bust through the awkward tension of people who only kind of know each other trying to socialize knows what I’m talking about.

Taboo is a great game, no doubt, and remains a classic go-to choice at parties for a reason.

Party Games Like Taboo

We crave variety in our lives, though, so it’s good to know what other options are out there for fun social games when you want to mix it up.

That’s where I come in.

I’m here to walk you through some of the best party games like Taboo out there to round out your collection and spice up your game nights.

Let’s get to it.

1. Decrypto

Players: 3-8, plays best with at least 4 players

Playing Time: 15-45 minutes

Recommended for Ages 12+

If you like the word-game component of Taboo, you’re going to love Decrypto.

In this game, you’ll split into two teams of spies trying to communicate coded messages to each other without them getting intercepted by the opposition.

Each team gets a set of four words that serve as their code words. The whole team knows and can see these words, but wants to keep them secret from the enemy spies.

This is where it gets interesting.

One player each turn acts as the “encryptor”, drawing a code card with a sequence of numbers on it (1-3-2, for example).

These numbers each correspond to one of your four code words. The encryptor must find a way to communicate these numbers without giving away the code words to the enemy spies listening in to their transmission.

Let’s say your team is assigned the words “Weekend, Ocean, Tie, Machine”.

With the sequence 1-3-2, you want your team to understand that this turn’s code is “Weekend, Tie, Ocean” and guess “1-3-2”.

To get your team to guess the correct sequence, you give one word for each number that will be obvious enough for them to guess but not so obvious that the opponents catch on to your code words.

For this example, you might say: “Rest, Shoe, Vast”. Ideally, the clues are obvious if you know the code words and baffling if you don’t.

The opposing team always gets to guess the sequence first, and if you aren’t careful they can steal the points from under you if they guess correctly.

This is a great game to break out for groups that will enjoy the espionage element. Who doesn’t want to pretend to be a spy for an evening?

Pros:

• Both sides are engaged in every turn, no sitting around waiting for your turn
• Very straightforward rules, easy to teach
• You get to be a spy (kind of)

Cons:

• Requires a bit more attention than a typical party game – if you’re going to guess the opponent’s codes, you’re probably going to need to take notes each turn on the words they use.

2. Alias

Players: 4-12, plays best with an even number of players to split into teams

Playing Time: 60 minutes

Recommend for Ages 7+

This is going to be the most overtly Taboo-like game on the list. The premise of Alias is very similar, with a few key differences.

In Alias, players divide into teams (usually teams of 2, but odd numbers happen of course). Each team then takes turns picking cards that have 6 words written on them.

This is where it’s going to sound a little familiar if you’re a fan of Taboo.

One of the players on the team must try to get their teammate to guess the words on the card – as many as they can before time runs out.

You can say whatever you like to get them to guess a word, but if you slip up and say the word or a word with the same root you lose that turn.

The pressure on guessing the right words is turned up by the hourglass timer used, which lets you see exactly how well or poorly your turn is going.

The result is often frantic fun as teams scramble to guess as many words as possible before their time runs out.

Pros:

• Very easy to learn and teach. You can explain the game to a new player in less than five minutes.
• Fast paced; the hourglass timer doesn’t allow for stalling

Cons:

• Nothing to do when it isn’t your turn. This means you’re probably better off with as few teams as possible, or you could have long waits between turns.

3. Scattergories

Players: 2-6, plays best with at least 4 players

Playing Time: 30 minutes

Recommended for Ages 12+

Let’s depart, for a moment, from the word-guessing mechanic of Taboo and take a look at another type of word-based party game.

 Scattergories is a game of word association with a twist.

Each round, a category is drawn and a die is rolled. Unlike a typical numbered die, this one has a letter on each side.

The players have to come up with something that fits the category and starts with the letter shown on the die that round.

It’s not quite that simple, though.

If you write down a word that someone else at the table also chooses, neither of you score points. You don’t want to pick something too obvious!

Also, if you can manage to think of something with multiple words that fits the bill, you score an extra point for each word.

For example: if the category is cartoon characters and the letter is D, you could write down “Donald Duck” (since both words start with D) and score double points!

Pros:

• Quick and easy set-up, flexible playing time – by the rules the game lasts 3 rounds, but you can cut it short or just keep playing if you like and each round takes 10 minutes at most.
• Easy to teach, which is always a good quality for a party game
• Seeing what people come up with for the categories is wacky fun

Cons:

• It’s easy for disagreements to arise over the validity of chosen words for categories, and the system for resolving those problems is not ideal. The players vote on whether the word choice should count, which opens the door to dog-piling the current points leader even if their word is perfectly valid. It can get ugly if you aren’t careful.

4. Dixit

Players: 3-6

Playing Time: 30 minutes

Recommends for Ages 8+

Maybe this is my personal bias, but on a list of great party games I just have to include Dixit. I don’t make the rules.

The focus of this game is a little different than Taboo in that it involves storytelling rather than word guessing. In Dixit, players take turns making up a story about a card in their hand and placing that card face down on the table. All the cards have different whimsical images on them to spark the imagination.

The other players each choose a card from their own hands that they believe could fit the story, and these are all shuffled up with the storyteller’s card.

Once they’re good and shuffled, the cards are all flipped up so their images can be seen and the players must try to guess which card belonged to the storyteller.

Getting any player to guess your card right as the storyteller nets both you and any players that guess correctly 3 points.

If nobody gets it right, the storyteller scores nothing and every other player scores two. To make things more interesting, the other players also score one point for each vote cast incorrectly for their card choice when they are not the storyteller.

Like Taboo, you benefit greatly from knowing how the other players at the table think when playing this game.

You’re also sure to learn a thing or two about the people you’re playing with!

Pros:

• Very high fun factor with a creative group
• The artwork on the cards is fantastic
• As with other games on this list, the rules are quick and easy to teach

Cons:

• Might be intimidating for more reserved players, so not ideal as an “ice breaker” for some groups

5. Concept

Players: 4-12, best with 6 or more players

Playing Time: 45 minutes

Recommended for Ages 10+

For a refreshing twist on the word-guessing game, our next entry on this list is Concept.

Much like Taboo, the action of this game involves guessing words from clues.

The twist? In Concept, you can’t talk as the clue-giver except to say “yes” as confirmation someone is on the right track with their guessing.

Instead, you have a board with rows of icons that you can place tokens on to give your clues.

Clues are created by linking icons to create “concepts” that will help players guess your word. Everything from the order you put tokens down to the way you move tokens on the board can communicate your clues.

Teams of two players at a time are in charge of giving the clues while the rest of the players individually try to guess what they are hinting at. You win or lose as an individual, but work as a temporary team with a neighbor when it’s your turn to give clues.

It requires some creative thinking to piece together clues by just placing tokens on icons on a board, and can lead to some pretty funny misunderstandings along the way.

Pros:

• A unique take on the word-guessing game format
• Building concepts is every bit as fun as guessing them

Cons:

• A little on the cerebral side for a party game; I wouldn’t say it’s hard to teach, but definitely less straightforward than other games on this list

6. Guesstures

Players: 4 or more

Playing Time: 10 minutes

Recommended for Ages 8+

If you’re a fan of charades, this word guessing game should catch your attention.

In Guesstures, players are split into two teams.

Each turn, one player on the team will be the “actor”. This player draws 4 cards with options of different words on them and places them in an action timer. There are 4 words on each card, 2 easy and 2 hard, from which the actor picks a word to try to act out.

As with charades, you can only make gestures or use props – no words.

You score more if your team can guess a hard word, but choosing one can be risky.

Why? Well, if your team can’t guess fast enough, the cards get eaten by the timer one at a time and you are forced to move on to the next.

The ideal goal of each round is to have your team guess all 4 of your cards, but the action timer is a ruthless overlord and time is of the essence.

Guesstures is a fantastic option if you enjoy charades but hate how long it can drag on sometimes.

Instead of watching Uncle Rick flail around trying to act like a fish for 10 minutes while everyone stares on in confusion, the timer makes sure that everybody moves on when a clue just won’t land.

Pros:

• A fun alternative to charades
• Fast pace, quick play time, easy rules – perfect for a party game!

Cons:

• It’s really just charades with extra dressing

7. Pictionary

Players: 3-16

Playing Time: 90 minutes

Recommended for Ages 12+

Here’s another word guessing party game classic! Much like Taboo, Pictionary has been a party game mainstay since its release over 30 years ago. When something sticks around that long, it’s for a good reason!

In Pictionary, teams take turns drawing cards with a word or phrase on them. One player on the team whose turn it is has to try to get their team to guess the word or phrase on the card.

So far, so familiar.

The difference for Pictionary is that you don’t have access to words or gestures to give clues. Instead, you have to rely on your drawing skills to get the message across.

Drawing skill is actually much less important than it seems in this game.

A poorly drawn stick figure can convey an idea every bit as effectively as a realistic drawing. In fact, with the limited time you have to communicate your word or phrase, you’re almost always better off keeping drawings simple and trying to go for symbols over realism.

There’s also an “All Play” mechanic for some cards, where both teams simultaneously are trying to guess a drawing and the first one to do so wins the round.

Pros:

• A good way to shake up the format of the word-guessing game
• The drawings are often hilarious, especially if nobody can draw well

Cons:

• When it isn’t your team’s turn, there isn’t anything to do but watch
• Some people are very self-conscious about drawing in front of others

8. Telestrations

Players: 4-8, plays best with the full 8 players

Playing Time: 30 minutes

Recommended for Ages 12+

Along a similar vein as Pictionary, Telestrations also involves making drawings and trying to guess what those drawings represent.

This game, however, takes it a step further – to hilarious results.

Each player begins with a word they have to try to draw. Every player has their own word they are trying to draw in a round.

When the round ends, the players all pass their drawings to the left.

The players must then try to guess what word the person that gave them the drawing was trying to capture.

When everyone has their word guesses, they pass those guesses to the left. Now, the next person in line has to try to draw the word that the last person guessed.

This continues around the circle until the sketchbooks reach their original owner again.

I believe there is a scoring system, but I’ve never seen it used. The fun of this game is seeing just how far away from the original word you end up when the sketchbook makes it back to its original owner, and what kind of wildly off-base guesses were made along the way.

Pros:

• Extremely high fun factor – every game I’ve seen played has involved plenty of laughter
• The components are completely re-usable from game to game, no wasting paper

Cons:

• I wish there were more sketchbooks to allow for more players.  Luckily, there is a 12 player party pack out there to help with that issue.
• The game isn’t nearly as fun if you don’t have enough people – I recommend trying to get the full 8.

9. The Resistance

Players: 5-10

Playing Time: 30 minutes

We’re returning to spy-world and finishing strong with the last two entries on our list, which are both excellent espionage-themed party games.

This party game draws inspiration from games like Mafia and Werewolf. It puts players in the shoes of a group of resistance fighters trying to bring down an imperial government.

There’s a problem, though: there are imperial spies in your midst trying to sabotage your plans!

Each round you send a group of players out on a mission, and secret votes are cast by everyone on the mission to make it pass or fail.

If even one player throws a fail token into the pool, the mission is sabotaged – but now the other players know that one of those people must be working against them!

The Resistance is a great update for a classic party game, adding mechanics to the format that encourage player interaction more and remove the element of elimination from the game.

If you think somebody is an imperial spy, there’s no elimination-style vote like in Mafia or Werewolf – you just don’t send that person on missions.

Pros:

• Fantastic update for a classic party game
• Fun, tense game sessions with plenty of discussion between rounds

Cons:

• Might not be so fun if you don’t enjoy playful conflict; it can get heated

10. Codenames

Players: 2-8, best with 4 or more players

Playing Time: 15 minutes

Recommended for Ages 14+

Honestly, it was hard not to want to open with this one. They always say you should save the best for last, though.

Codenames may be one of the best party games on the market right now. It follows a similar theme as Taboo in that word-guessing is part of the game, but this game is a little more complex.

In Codenames, players divide into two teams of spies who are trying to make contact with their agents in the field. The problem? You only know your agents by their Codenames.

Each team designates a spymaster, who knows the Codenames of all the agents they want their team to guess. You then take turns having each team’s spymaster provide a one-word clue to help their team guess the Codenames of their team’s agents.

That clue could refer to multiple words on the board, but you have to be careful about this – if the spymaster accidentally steers their team into an enemy spy they inadvertently help their opponents.

Even worse, one of the cards on the board hides an assassin that, if picked, will instantly lose the game for the team that picked it.

Codenames is a simple-to-explain game with an incredible amount of depth and strategy in play.

Playing the spymaster is a real puzzle, trying to figure out how to best steer your team to the right cards without accidentally guiding them in the wrong direction.

It’s, truly, a rare breed of party game.

Pros:

• Simple rules hide surprisingly deep, intense gameplay
• The tension of picking cards due to the possible negative consequences of a bad pick is excellent

Cons:

• The spymaster is difficult to play; not everybody will be good at it and a bad spymaster is very bad news for their team

The post 10 Party Games You Should Check Out If You Like Taboo appeared first on Bar Games 101.

Well, for one thing, word puzzles are a great way to educate while entertaining for younger audiences. As you get older, word puzzles provide a way to keep yourself sharp with proven benefits for cognitive health. They encourage skills that are valuable to learn when you’re young, and valuable to practice as you get older.

Most importantly, of course, they’re just plain fun.

If you always enjoyed crosswords and word searches, or perhaps like the idea but never got into those particular games, there are a lot of options out there to expand your word puzzle repertoire! In this guide, we’re going to be taking you through the various types of word puzzles out there.

Read on if you want to see what other options there are for all you cunning wordsmiths – or, for that matter, anyone who would like to become a more cunning wordsmith. These games will sharpen your wit and expand your vocabulary. Let’s dive in!

1. Anagrams

This one is a personal favorite of this writer, so we’re happy to put it front and center!

An anagram is a type of puzzle where you are given a set of letters and try to create as many words as possible from those letters. There are plenty of mobile games floating around now based on this premise, but all you actually need to play this game is a collection of letter tiles (like you might find in a Scrabble or Bananagrams set).

Anagram puzzles challenge your vocabulary and ability to piece words together from the letters you’re given. It’s cool seeing how many different words you can come up with on a limited collection of letters – you’re likely to surprise yourself!

As an educational tool, the value is obvious. But we don’t play games to learn, even if it’s a nice side effect, so it’s good news that it’s also incredibly satisfying to create a long list of words from a very limited collection of letters.

2. Ciphers

Also called a “cryptogram”, a cipher is a kind of code based on letter replacement. Essentially, each letter is substituted either for a different letter or a symbol. Ciphers are used in actual codes in the real world, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy them as word puzzles as well!

When used for puzzle games, a cipher usually includes clues to help you piece together what the correct letters might be to form the hidden word or phrase.

 Solving a cipher takes patience and persistence. It requires you to recognize patterns in the cipher that match real words. Cracking the code gives an awesome sense of accomplishment that makes all the effort more than worthwhile!

3. Crossword Puzzles

This one is obvious, but it wouldn’t be a proper list of word puzzles if we didn’t include it.

Crosswords are probably the first thing that spring to mind when somebody mentions “word puzzles” to you. The most common form of crossword is a grid of squares, some with numbers, which you fill in as you play based on clues along the side of the page. Usually these clues are definitions or uses of the word you are trying to guess.

There are also cryptic crosswords, to list one variation on that idea. In a cryptic crossword, the clues themselves are word puzzles rather than direct clues or definitions. This adds another layer of complexity, which could be good or bad depending on how much mental energy you want to dedicate to solving a puzzle.

No matter the form they take, crosswords are yet another excellent way to entertain and educate in one swoop. They expand your vocabulary and spelling skills, as well as your critical thinking skills – all of that adds up to be the perfect type of game for anyone looking for a way to give your brain some exercise.

4. Letter Arrangement Games

Here’s another classic type of word puzzle.

Letter arrangement games are some of the most iconic word puzzles out there. In a letter arrangement puzzle, you are tasked with creating words from a limited pool of letters.

At the core, that’s all there is to it. Obviously it gets more complicated than that, sometimes scoring points based on the “quality” of your word as in Scrabble or turning the puzzle into a competitive race to make every letter fit into a word grid as in Bananagrams.

Letter arrangement games require quick and creative thinking and, like other types of puzzles on this list, will naturally expand your vocabulary. These puzzles encompass many of the more social games on the word puzzle spectrum, incorporating fun competitive elements into the formula.

5. Rebus Puzzles

Ready for a unique take on word puzzles?

A good rebus puzzle forces you to really think outside the box to solve it. They take the form of printed words, pictures, or symbols arranged in a way that acts as a clue to the solution. For example: an image of a star placed next to the word “lovers” printed twice, sharing a “v” as they cross vertically and horizontally, is hinting at “star-crossed lovers”.

A little more abstract in nature, these types of word puzzles encourage critical thinking skills over vocabulary. They often require unconventional methods to reach the solution. This makes them really stand out among other types of word puzzles for anybody looking for a unique experience.

6. Semantics Games

Not all word puzzles have to involve spelling or finding words. Semantics games focus instead on the meaning of words and the knowledge of players at the table.

A classic example of this is Mad Libs, which is by now a classic party game choice. Games like Codenames also fit into this category, though. The unifying theme of these types of puzzles is the focus on the word meanings and how they can be used.

Due to this different focus, semantics games offer up a great alternative to other types of word puzzles out there. They also usually include a more social element than other games on this list, and are usually intended to be played with groups.

7. Word Jumbles

Back to simpler forms of word puzzles, this is one we should all be very familiar with.

A word jumble puzzle gives you a random looking arrangement of letters that you have to re-arrange into a proper word. This kind of game tests and strengthens your spelling skills, which is why it sees so much use in schools when teaching children to read and write.

That doesn’t mean we have to stop playing them when we get older, though!

As with other games on this list, solving these kinds of word puzzles has a positive effect on cognitive health as we age.

8. Word Search

We’re rounding out our list with a type of word puzzle you’re sure to be familiar with. I always had a soft spot for these word puzzles, and not just because they usually got handed out when the teacher felt like taking an easy day for that class period. That is already a pretty good reason, though.

A word search puzzle gives you a square grid of letters, usually with a series of clues or a theme. You then have to try to locate those words within the grid. They might be going up and down, left to right, diagonally, and in some cases the puzzle may include words printed backwards just to complicate the formula.

These kinds of word puzzles go a long way to reinforcing vocabulary and correct spelling for kids, since you have to know the words and how they are properly spelled to find them in the grid. As we get older, they remain a good way to keep your mind in shape.

The post 8 Types of Word Puzzles to Keep You Sharp appeared first on Bar Games 101.

We just stuck to playing the classics – and that’s reflected by the games that remained most popular each year.

That said, I’m sure many of us at least dipped our toes into the sea of flashy component-heavy rules-light games that defined the US market in the early 90s. Remember Splat? Don’t Wake Daddy?

You probably at least remember the TV ads for them if nothing else.

It’s not surprising that a lot of those games didn’t really stand the test of time (how are you supposed to keep track of all those components? Where do you store it all when you aren’t playing?), but a few new classics managed to emerge from the chaos.

A new golden age of board games was just on the horizon!

Let’s take a look back at some of the best board games we used to play back in the 90s – from old classics we still enjoyed, to new classics waiting to be discovered, and everything in between.

Best 90s Board Games

Hungry, Hungry Hippos

I can’t be alone in feeling a rush of nostalgia whenever I see these snappy boys. This board game may not be from the 90s, but it’s one of the games I remember playing most often as a young lad.

This game is based on the absolutely correct premise that kids love to mash a button repeatedly, especially when mashing said button makes something else snap up and down loudly. As a bonus, the luck-based nature of the game meant that everybody had a chance to win.

Well, provided one kid wasn’t trying to tilt the board to make the marbles drop into their hippo’s mouth. There’s always one.

Trivial Pursuit

Another oldie-but-goodie that remained popular through the 90s and beyond, Trivial Pursuit is only barely a board game but still makes this list due to how easy it always was to strike up a game with a few friends on a free evening.

It’s great for family game night, and when you get older it becomes a great option for a game to play over drinks (hone your drunken knowledge-recalling skills for your local bar trivia!).

You don’t even need to break out the board, really; you could just draw cards and ask each other questions. Maybe I’m just lazy, but that’s how I remember this game being played most of the time.

With special editions for all kinds of topics being made all the time, don’t expect this game to go anywhere anytime soon.

Learn about other trivia board games you can play on game night.

Don’t Wake Daddy

Introduced by Parker Brothers in 1992, this may be one of the best examples of the kinds of board games that were coming out in the early 90s.

The game put you in the shoes of some dastardly children trying to score some extra food from the fridge while not waking their napping pop, who was sleeping in the middle of the board.

The action of the game involved trying to sneak around the board, possibly making noises with each move, and getting sent back to the start every time you accidentally “woke up daddy”, causing him to jerk upright in his bed.

Simple rules and flashy moving parts worked into the game design: this game was peak 90s.

Risk

Some things never change; Risk was a staple already going into the 90s, and it remains a staple up to today. This strategic world domination game is a great way to learn which kids are a little too quick to break alliances and be ruthless conquerors to win (I was one of those kids, I’ll admit it).

You always had to make sure you had either a lot of time to play or somewhere you could leave the board set up, though – those big games could turn into a real marathon of backstabbing and shifting alliances!

Learn about some more fun games like Risk. 

Don’t Break the Ice

Maybe it was the title (“It’s an ice-breaker! Get it?”), maybe it was the relatively simple rules and interactive game board, but for some reason this game was ubiquitous in daycares and summer camps in the 90s.

The game itself was largely a test of manual skill mixed with common sense. It involved knocking ice blocks out from the board one at a time, trying not to cause the whole structure to collapse as you do. Easier said than done! If you fail, you get to watch this poor little fellow standing in the middle tumble to his doom.  

Loaded Questions

Created in 1996, this board game is somewhat similar to Trivial Pursuit in that it involves answering questions as you move around a board. The difference here was that the questions test your knowledge of the other people at the table, not trivia knowledge.

The creator of the board game took a big risk on this one; he quit his job and lived out of his car as he toured the country trying to sell his new game. Luckily for him, Toys’R’Us picked up a few hundred copies for the Christmas season that year. They sold well enough that they bought more copies the next year, and over 1 million have been sold in the years since.

Apples to Apples

I know, I know. This one isn’t really a board game. However, I challenge you to tell me this game didn’t come out at every party you went to around the turn of the millennium. I’ll wait.

Apples to Apples dropped right at the close of the 90s, 1999 to be exact, but it was an almost immediate classic. It might not hold a candle to Cards Against Humanity nowadays, but it still has its place as a family friendly alternative to break out at get-togethers.

Cranium

Here’s another classic party game gifted to us by the end of the 90s. Cranium was designed to be a “game for your whole brain”, with various mini-games that tested different skills. The game involves stretching your creative muscles with drawing or acting challenges, testing your knowledge with trivia questions, working through word puzzles, and more.

One could say they tried to stuff a few too many different games into one box, and that’s a fair criticism. But isn’t that what the 90s were all about?

Settlers of Catan

Believe or not, this modern board game staple was actually created back in the 90s – 1995 to be exact.

Originally published in the promised land of board gaming, Germany, it was the beginning of a wave of popularity for Euro-games. Much of the modern board-gaming craze here in the United States can be traced to Catan’s popularity, and it remains one of the biggest names in the market now with a large library of expansions.

For the unfamiliar, Settlers of Catan is a competitive colonization game in which you vie with other players for superiority over an island territory.

You build roads and settlements, gather and trade resources, and try to avoid getting set upon by the robber (or set the robber on others, of course).

When we look at the fantastic state board gaming is in now, with literally hundreds of quality games on the market and more and more people trying out the hobby for the first time, we should be very grateful that games like Catan paved the way for the golden age we’re enjoying.

The post Best Board Games We Loved to Play in 90s appeared first on Bar Games 101.

Chances are good you know somebody in your life that loves Backgammon. Maybe that person is you!

Personally, I have fond memories of my dad teaching me to play when I was a kid. If you’re looking for something special for that kind of person, the backgammon sets in this list should pique your interest.

Ranging from affordable to indulgent, this article is going to go through some of the best backgammon sets available to buy online.

We’ll also provide a full overview of board features to consider, so keep reading to learn more about how to select the best board for you.

Ready to take a look at some sets? Let’s get started!

QUICK OVERVIEW: Best Backgammon Sets

Here’s a quick summary of a few of our favorites. Keep reading to learn more. 

1. Middleton Games 15-inch Leatherette Travel Backgammon Set

Looking for a nice, compact set for a well-traveled backgammon enthusiast?

This lovely set has a plush inlaid velvet playing field, allowing the chips to slide smoothly across it during a game. The dice cups use the same velvet as the playing surface. Ad there is a single durable nickel latch to allow the set to fold up for easy travel. 

The contrasting black and white coloring gives the set a high aesthetic appeal – it’s pretty to look at! The chips are similarly accented, with a mother-of-pearl design in both black and white.

If you want a durable, sophisticated, travel-ready backgammon set, check this one out. Available from Amazon and GammonVillage Inc. (affiliate link).

2. Silverman & Co. 13 Inch. Premium Backgammon Set

This is another great option for a travel backgammon set.

The pieces are made to fit especially snugly in their places when this set is folded up, with a mind in the design toward keeping things organized through the rigors of travel.

The dice cups are made to fit comfortably in your hand when used, and the felt lining keeps noise to a minimum while the tournament-grade trip lip ensures a random and fair roll every time.

If you like this look of this set but don’t need a travel set, it is also available in larger dimensions.

Check it out here.

3. Orion Craft Walnut Wood Backgammon Set

How about a change of pace from leatherette sets?

This set is made completely from wood materials for a simple, understated design.

As a bonus, the wood material makes this set easy to keep clean. You can expect that, with proper care, this backgammon set will look just the way it did the day you bought it years down the line.

The best part? A very reasonable price tag for the size and quality!

Check it out here. 

4. Dal Negro Wood Tabletop Backgammon Set

Here’s another wood set, this one with a much fancier design than the last – and a higher price tag to match it.

Made to be a tabletop set, this isn’t a set you buy with an eye for storage. It is meant to be displayed, and with a set this beautiful you’re going to want to display it anyway!

The crisp red and blue accents are set against a tulip wood playing surface to stunning effect. The board is absolutely gorgeous.

The chips are equally beautiful, in those same red and blue colors with a mother of pearl design that really stands out against the board.

Check it out here.

5. Manopoulos 19-inch Wood Backgammon Set – Walnut with Printed Field

This is another beautiful, minimalistic wooden set on the more affordable side.

The case is hand-made walnut, and very understated when folded up for players that want to let their game do all the talking. The interior features a diamond design in the middle of each side on the playing field, giving the board a little extra visual appeal when laid out.

The chips are marbleized plastic, with small indentations for your fingers to make sliding them across the game board smooth.

This is a high quality set, made with durable materials, for a fantastic price.

Check it out here. 

6. Wycliffe Brothers 21-inch Tournament Backgammon Set

Impressive isn’t enough to describe the look of this set.

The black, red, and white color scheme of the board and pieces presents a clean and professional looking picture when the components are all arranged. The exterior of the case, a simple textured black material, further enforces that aesthetic.

The marbleized chips are designed to glide effortlessly across the playing surface, but also hold their position remarkably well if the board is bumped or disturbed. The doubling cube for this set is especially large, making it easy to see what number it is currently resting on.

All together, what you get is a professional quality backgammon set for a price that puts similar quality sets to shame.

Check it out here. 

7. Zaza & Sacci Leather Backgammon Set

If price is not an issue, this next set is by far most eye-catching on the list.

You can already tell you have something special here at just a glance at the exterior of the case; it’s made with red leather and accented by 24-karat gold plated clasps. This set is nothing if not decadent!

The playing field is rich black inlaid leather, which serves as the perfect contrasting backdrop for the red and green points and pieces. The dice are similarly striking, coming in emerald green and ruby red (and, of course, perfectly balanced and tournament ready).

A set like this is sure to make an impression in all the best ways. It is well-designed and the high quality of the materials shines through every aspect of the set.

The price tag is high, but this one is well worth the investment!

Check it out here.

8. Hector Saxe Epi Leatherette Backgammon Set

It’s hard to say what the best quality of this set is.

It could be the attractive clasp and textured exterior, which gives a great first impression before you even crack the case.

Opening the set reveals an even more incredible interior, with smooth green felt and cleanly printed black and white points. The high gloss mother of pearl pieces are stunning, standing in rich contrast against that backdrop.

This set is the real deal! The price point might be high, but you are paying for the quality you get with a set like this.

9. Hector Saxe Faux Snake Backgammon Set – Light Blue

Here’s another offering from Hector Saxe, this one a highly stylized set for a player that wants to make a statement before the game even begins.

The blue faux snakeskin exterior gives the case a very unique look, which becomes even more striking when you reveal the game board inside.

Dark blue and white high gloss mother of pearl chips nicely complement the light blues and whites of the interior design. The dice cups are lined with the same faux snake material as the exterior of the set and ergonomically designed to fit perfect in your palm when rolling.

This is the perfect set for a player that wants to show off their personality along with their backgammon skills!

Searching for the Best Backgammon Set? Here’s What to Consider.

You’ve learned how to play, honed your game strategy, and now you’re ready for your own backgammon set. Or maybe you just think it would make a good addition to your board game collection.

Either way, if you’re in the market for a backgammon set and want to know how to find the best one for your situation, here are some of the things to consider.

The Case

Unless you’re looking for a dedicated game table, most backgammon sets come in cases. Depending on your budget, you’ll find cases made from leatherette (common in mid-level boards), natural and premium leather, and wood.

In the wood category, many cases are made from natural hardwoods and finished with beautiful veneers. You’ll see sets made from walnut, burlwood, beechwood, poplar, oak, maple and more. Basically, many of the same hardwoods you can make fine cabinetry, furniture or even instruments from.

Often handmade, these boards exhibit fine craftsmanship.

Leatherette, on the other hand, is very common (see above list) and results in a more affordable, lighter and travel friendly option.

And leather – well leather means the set will be more expensive.

The Latch

Traditional backgammon sets come with a latch for closing the case and securing all the game pieces, including stones (aka checkers) and dice, in one place. Many models use a nickel or brushed nickel plated latch that is both durable and classic. Travel sets may come with a zipper or button closure to make the boards even more secure and travel proof.

High end and expensive sets, which usually stay at home, may have gold plated latches. 

Most importantly, you want a sturdy latch that will hold up to many games over the long run. All of the boards on this list are made by quality manufacturers who recognize the importance durability and workmanship in these details.

The Board

The playing surface of your backgammon set will be designed twenty-four narrow triangles (called points), grouped into four quadrants of six triangles. These triangles alternate in color. That’s the basic configuration for any backgammon board. But the designs and materials can make a big difference in how much you like playing on your own set.

For one, backgammon boards come in a wide variety of color combinations. The points can be pretty much any color combination; often a darker and lighter color (i.e. classic black and white), but any two contrasting colors will do. The third color is the board color, which will be different than the point colors.

The goal is to simply find a color pattern you like.

Wood sets will feature inlays with different woods, or painted points with a natural surface. Again, check out different patterns and see what appeals to you.

The board surface will usually be velour, felt, or velvet. Often with additional padding. This ensures a smooth and quiet playing experience for rolling your dice and moving stones. Wood sets will usually have a natural hardwood or coated playing surface.

Professional and tournament level boards often come with special fabrics (i.e. V-Fiber) that create a plush playing surface with added friction to control dice rolls and enhance precision.

The Stones (aka Checkers)

A game of backgammon uses 30 stones as playing pieces, also known as checkers. Each player gets 15 stones in a game. The stones come in a variety of weights, sizes, and materials, which largely depends on the size and quality of the board.

Many mid-level boards and travel sets will come with a set of  marbleized plastic checkers, while high end boards may include heavier stones (i.e. 20 grams each). Wood boards often include a set of wooden checkers.

One feature that some players like is having grooves on the top of the checkers. The bottoms are flat of course, but the grooved top adds a nice feel and look to the game pieces. While other players prefer the smooth, marble, thick and classic design. Much of this is a matter of personal preference.

In our opinion, as long as they have decent weight to them (anywhere from 10 – 20 grams) and come with a complete set, that should work just fine.

The Dice

Backgammon sets come with two sets of 2 dice of different colors and a doubling cube. And yes, the design of the dice and the cube is important to the game. Basically, the dice and cube should have rounded edges. Also called “balled” or “beveled” dice, the machine-rounded corners allow for more randomized dice rolls.

Also, with high end tournament backgammon sets, each die will have a smooth surface, rather than a pitted surface, for better tumbling and spin.

Of course, a standard set of dice works fine for most of us, but if you’re investing in a nice set, you should make sure the dice are designed specifically for the game of backgammon. Aside from the rounded corners, backgammon dice are usually made from plastic but you can also find metal and wood dice in certain sets.

The Dice Cups

Finally, the dice cup is integral to the game of backgammon. A good backgammon set should come with two dice cups that are lined with felt, velour, or another coating or material that will dampen the sound of the dice and deliver a smooth roll.

There are two common cup shapes: the oval cup and the round cup. Many players like an oval cup, as these are more comfortable and ergonomic over the course of several games. However, professional sets often come with round cups with an added “trip lip”, designed to ensure fair and random rolls each time.

You’ll find that most classic sets come with leatherette cups. Many wooden sets that come with beautiful wooden dice cups, while even more expensive sets may come with authentic leather dice cups.

Now that you have a good idea of what to look for in a backgammon set, it’s time to find the board that suits your playing level, budget, and aesthetics.

The post The Best Backgammon Sets for Dedicated Players appeared first on Bar Games 101.

What if I told you there were a number of surprising benefits to playing board games? Wouldn’t it be great if all those nights laughing, rollizng dice, drawing cards, and moving little pieces around on boards was also good for you?

Great news: studies show that it is!

More and more people are flocking to the hobby, and there has never been a better time to dive into the wonderful world of board games than now (it’s more than just Monopoly, folks!).

If you’re on the fence, hopefully this article can show you the place board games can have in our culture and the power they have to educate, entertain, and bring people together.

Let’s get to the list.

1. Developmental Skills for Children

This is the most obvious on the list, and arguably also the most important. Growing up, did you notice that all the “brainy” types also tended to be the ones that were a little too into games?

There might just be a good reason for that. Board games have been shown to have significant benefits for the cognitive development of children.

What do I mean by that specifically?

A 2008 study (Scholz et al.) published in the International Journal of Special Education switched out weekly math lessons for chess lessons in a sample group of students with learning disabilities.

The result, after a year, was that the students taking the chess lessons outperformed the ones that had been taking the typical math lessons. The study stated that “calculation abilities for simple addition tasks and counting improved significantly more in the chess classes”.

Playing board games when you are young develops much more than math, too. It’s good for developing critical thinking skills, teaching children to learn and follow rules, increasing concentration levels, and much more.

2. Social Practice for All Ages

The benefits don’t stop in childhood. Board games continue to provide a number of mental health benefits at all ages. Topping off that list is social practice.

This is relevant for people in any age group; board games develop and refine social skills by nature, since they involve playing with other people.

When you are younger, board games provide a comfortable space for introverted children to stretch their social muscles. They supply a safe environment governed by rules, and focusing on the game can take the more anxiety-prone mind off the other people at the table.

Reducing the pressure to interact can encourage more reserved children to come out of their shell and start working on the important social skills they will need to succeed in life.

Board games also teach children that you don’t always win and how to lose with grace, which is no doubt an invaluable lesson.

This remains true as you age! The structured nature of board games makes them a bastion of comfort for the introverted individual who is both hungry for and afraid of such group interactions. Board games offer a safe place to overcome those fears and anxieties.

3. Hone Your Logical Thinking and Problem Solving

I’ve already mentioned this in passing, as a benefit for childhood development. We don’t have to stop learning and growing just because we reached an arbitrary age, though, and board games continue to provide a great place to further develop cognitive skills.

When you play board games, you are constantly stretching your logical thinking and problem solving muscles. Most games require you to be able to think moves ahead; not just about what you are doing this turn, but what will result from the actions you take now, how the other players will react, and how you will adjust for those possibilities.

Playing games that force you to think this way will naturally develop those pathways in your brain over time, resulting in better logical thinking skills.

I’m not saying playing games will turn you into a super-genius problem solver, but you will see a noticeable improvement in your ability to reason through problems you encounter if you play often.

4. Leisure and Stress-Management

This goes back to one of the simplest, purest reasons we play board games: it’s fun!

Taking time out of your week to enjoy leisure activities, such as playing board games, has a definite impact on your mental and physical health. Being stressed and overworked doesn’t just feel bad in the moment, after all – it has far reaching impacts on your overall health and life expectancy if you don’t manage your stress well.

Playing board games can provide a much needed release of energy; that moment when you can unwind, relax, and not let your mind be consumed by all the worries you carry day to day. Instead, you can let getting the longest road be your biggest problem for the next hour or so. We need that kind of break, especially with today’s frenzied pace of living.

5. Maintain Cognitive Function and Mental Health as you Age

Keeping yourself sharp is a constant battle as you age, both physically and mentally. Just like it’s a good idea to keep a good gym routine to maintain your physical health, maintaining a weekly board game night would be a good step to maintaining your cognitive health. The brain is a muscle, and if you don’t stretch and challenge it that muscle will atrophy.

As an example, a 20-year long study in France (Dartigues et al) showed that individuals who played board games regularly not only had lower rates of dementia at the conclusion of the study (15% lower); they also exhibited lower levels of cognitive decline and less incident depression than non-players.

Playing board games regularly has also been shown to reduce symptoms for a variety of conditions ranging from anxiety disorders to ADHD to Alzheimer’s.

Review: Basic Backgammon Strategy to Help You Win.

6. Uses in Occupational Therapy Treatment

One of the most telling signs that board games have health benefits is the current use of board games in occupational therapy plans. The same factors that make board games good for early cognitive development in children and cognitive maintenance as we age also make them a great tool for these therapy plans.

Board games check all the boxes for many of these patients. They provide cognitive exercise in the form of the problem solving we’ve already discussed at length. Many games also require moving small pieces around on boards, which can be a good way to re-introduce fine motor skills to patients.

Most importantly, board games provide a more fun and less frustrating way for patients to practice such skills at a time when they almost certainly have enough to be frustrated about as it is.

7. Board Games Bring People Together!

This reason becomes more and more relevant every year. We have so many ways to interact with others in the convenient comfort of our homes, from behind computer screens, that it’s easy to get too caught up in that world and forget that there’s more tangible, real social experiences out there.

Humans are social creatures by nature, and no good can come of shutting yourself off from real human interaction on a regular basis. Even the least social among us (like me!) need to get out of their cave and go fill that socialization meter for the good our mental health.

Fortunately, society is catching up to this fact and more and more hobbies like board gaming are on the rise to give people reasons to come together and actually interact in person.

So what are you waiting for? If you don’t have a board game friendly group, local game stores are almost always hosting events where you can meet like-minded individuals and set such groups up.

Look up your local game store or board game café, call up some friends (or go make some new ones!), and find the time in your week for an evening of gaming.

With all these benefits, you can be sure your body, mind, and soul will be grateful for it!

The post 7 Unexpected Benefits of Playing Board Games appeared first on Bar Games 101.

Board game bars and cafes give you a place to get together for an evening of food and games without all those digital distractions. 

This isn’t just some niche interest anymore, either. If you live in or near a city chances are pretty good you can find one of these board game bars near you.

If a night out having some drinks, eating good food, and playing board games with your friends sounds like a good time – this will be right up your alley.

Below you’ll find our definitive list of board game bars and cafes from all over the United States. This list includes locations in every corner of the country, from New York to Florida to California to Washington State and everywhere in between.

Read on, find one of these cafés near you, and gear up for an excellent evening of brews and board games.

Board Game Bars and Cafes

Mox Boarding House (Café Mox) – Seattle, WA

We’ll be starting our country-wide tour of board game cafes in the Northwest.

Established in 2011, Mox Boarding House in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle is a fantastic choice to kick off this list. It features a huge attached board game store (Card Kingdom) filled with hundreds of games and gaming accessories, tables for you to bring games into the store to play, and an active calendar of events.

The Café itself has a good selection of local brews along with some sandwiches and salads. You can rent from the game library inside the attached store and bring the game into the café with you to try out.

There are also private rooms available for rent for events, which you can book through this link.

Check it out:

Mox Boarding House
5105 Leary Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107|
Phone: 206-523-9605

Website: https://www.moxboardinghouse.com/

Game Knight Lounge – Portland, OR

Heading down the West Coast to Portland next, we find our next board game café in Portland.

The Game Knight Lounge follows the board game theme fully through into the names of the menu items. You can order yourself a Catanwich, or grab a plate of Hungry Hungry Chippos for the table. This menu is, naturally, accompanied by a healthy selection of craft beers.

For a small cover charge you gain access to their vast library of over 800 games to try out at your table. They have a comprehensive list on their website (here) so you can pre-plan what you want to play and maybe try to brush up on the rules before your outing.

Suggested game to play: 7 Wonders Duel

You can make reservations 24 hours in advance Monday through Thursday, but due to high traffic it’s first come first served on the weekend nights (Friday through Sunday).

Check it out:

Game Knight Lounge
3037 N. Williams Ave.
Portland, OR 97227
Phone: 503-236-3377

Website: http://pdxgameknight.com/

Victory Point Café – Berkeley, CA

Next stop along the West Coast is in Berkeley, just outside San Francisco.

The Victory Point Café, like most the board game bars on this list, requires a small cover fee to gain access to their library of games while you are there. They also have “game gurus” on staff to help guide new players through choosing and learning games.

Suggested game to play: Ticket to Ride

Even for the non-gamer, this café has good accommodations to set up for working or studying – and you’ll appreciate the wide selection of drinks ranging from coffee to draft beer. You’ll notice a good selection of sandwiches, pizzas, and snacks to keep you fueled up.

Victory Point places no limit on how long you can hold on to a table. They encourage you to stay and enjoy their amenities as long as you like once you’ve paid the cover.

Enjoy your visit? Victory Point also offers memberships, which are a great deal if you plan to frequent the establishment.

Check it out:

Victory Point Café
1797-A Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94709
Phone: 510-980-6325

Website: https://www.victorypointcafe.com/

Gamehaus Café – Glendale, CA

Another California location, this café can be found further down the coast in the greater Los Angeles area. The Gamehaus Café focuses more on a coffee-shop vibe than many other entries on this list.

The menu features good finger-food items to accompany your evening of gaming – including pizza, sandwiches, soups, and snacks. The drink menu includes a good range of coffee and tea, as well as the expected alcoholic option of beer, cider, and wine.

A small cover charges gets you access to their absolutely gigantic library of games (over 1,400) for the evening, with no cap on the amount of time you spend there once you buy in for the day.

Suggested game to play: Dixit

Check it out:

1800 South Brand Blvd., #107
Glendale, CA 91204
Phone: 818-937-9061

Website: https://gamehauscafe.com/

The Uncommons – New York, NY

Jumping to the other side of the country, let’s head to NYC with Manhattan’s first board game café (as touted proudly on their website), the Uncommons.

The Uncommons claims one of the largest game libraries on the East Coast. Alongside the great game selection for your evening out, they have a long list of craft beers, wines, and ciders to enjoy alongside some classic finger-food style grub like wraps and personal pizzas. There is also a good selection of teas, coffee, and smoothies – so there’s a little something for everyone here!

The website does warn that the café often reaches capacity on holidays, weekends, and even some weeknights – so you would probably do well to try to snag a reservation. They allow a limited number of such reservations, which have to be made up to 24 hours in advance. Make sure you call early!

Suggested game to play: Betrayal at House on the Hill

There is a private room that can be booked for special events, with rates depending on the day you book for (you can expect to pay much more for peak days).

Check it out:

The Uncommons
230 Thompson St.
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 646-543-9215

Website: http://uncommonsnyc.com/

Tavern of Tales – Boston, MA

Moving northeast from there, we find ourselves in Boston at the Tavern of Tales.

This board game bar features a menu with an impressive selection of different kinds of tater tots, as well as a few of the more expected finger food offerings. Of course, you can also count on a good selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Unlike other establishments on this list, the Tavern of Tales offers up a more limited selection of board games with an eye to making the experience more involved. The price tag is higher, but you gain the benefit of an immersive sound-enhanced experience when you order one of these games for your table!

Suggested game to play: Mysterium

Check it out:

Tavern of Tales
1478 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02120
Phone: 617-708-0294

Website: https://www.tavernoftales.com/

Good Game Grill – Providence, RI

This next board game café, in Rhode Island, serves up diner-style food from a large menu and, of course, offers the option to rent from their game library during your visit.

Suggested game to play: Qwirkle

This café is more family friendly (no alcohol is served on the menu), with a focus on bringing people together for some face-to-face fun and greasy food. The available fare includes burgers, sandwiches, and baskets of fried food – perfect for munching while you play!

They also maintain a very active calendar of events, including Dungeons and Dragons adventures, a weekly board game night each Thursday, and a family day every Sunday where kids can enjoy the game library for free!

Check it out:

Good Game Grill
53 Weybosset St.
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: 401-537-7174

Website: https://www.goodgamegrill.com/

Board Room DC – Washington, D.C.

Boasting a wide selection of draft beers and cocktails, the Board Room DC is a great destination for board gamers living in the nation’s capital. The long list of draft beers changes weekly and seasonally.

They don’t have a kitchen and don’t offer any food, but you are welcome to bring your own into the space without issue.

The game library isn’t as extensive as other board game bars on this list, but the cover fee for renting from that library is very reasonable at only 2$ and it includes many of the classics you’re likely to be looking for anyway! If you don’t see any games that catch your interest, keep an eye out – they rotate their game library regularly, so the selection stays fresh.

Suggested game to play: Backgammon

Check it out:

The Board Room DC
1737 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Phone: 202-518-7666

Website: https://boardroomdc.com/

Jokers are Wild Game Café – Lehighton, PA

Here’s an option with a robust menu! At Jokers are Wild, you will find both a great selection of games in their library and a great selection of sandwiches and light fare on their menu. You can peruse the available games in their library right here that you can play when you visit.

Suggested game to play: Blokus

They’ll serve you from a list of gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, paninis, hoagies, and salads (take-out is available). You can also find many options on the menu for snacks to munch while you play.

What you won’t find here are alcoholic options, though they do offer plenty of options for other drinks.

Check it out:

Jokers are Wild Game Café
125 N. First St.
Lehighton, PA 18235
Phone: 610-714-4869

Website: https://www.jokersgamecafe.com/

Well Played Board Game Café – Asheville, NC

Keeping in line with other entries on this list, the Well Played Board Game Café offers a range of craft beers, wines, and finger foods to accompany your evening of gaming. The menu includes the usual sandwiches and wraps we’ve come to expect, along with a good selection of desserts as a bonus.

Aside from the alcoholic options, you can find plenty of choices including coffee and tea (both hot and cold).

You gain access to their game library of over 650 games by paying a small cover fee, with an affordable monthly membership if you see yourself becoming a regular. The cover fee is a little higher on Saturday due to increased demand.

Suggested game to play: Mancala

Check it out:

Well Played Board Game Café
58 Wall St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: 828-232-7375

Website: https://wellplayedasheville.com/

The Rook and Pawn – Athens, GA

Not far from the University of Georgia in Athens you’ll find the next board game bar on our list. The Rook and Pawn carries an excellent selection of board games in their library ranging from classics to new favorites, with staff on hand to help you pick out the best game for your group.

Suggested game to play: Nice selection of Trivia Board Games

Local brews are regularly rotated through their 8 taps of draft beer, complemented by a selection of wine and spirits. They offer the typical pub-style fare to eat while you play, as well as an excellent assortment of coffee and tea.

Monthly, annual, and lifetime memberships are all available if you plan to be a frequent customer.

Check it out:

The Rook and Pawn

294 W. Washington St., Suite 300
Athens, GA 30601
Phone: 706-543-5040

Website: http://www.therookandpawn.com/

Mac and Chess – Miami, FL

For a unique take on this formula, we’re heading to Florida for our next board game café.

At this location, the menu chooses to take a different focus than others on the list. You can still find a decent share of finger food options here, but as you might expect from the name their main selling point is the Mac and Cheese.

You can also get some nice, cold beer on tap to sip while you try out games from their library for a small cover charge.  Their website includes a break-down of their game library in a helpful table that also lists the approximate playing time of each option, which you can find here.

Suggested game to play: Boss Monster

Check it out:

Mac and Chess
12486 SW 8 St.
Miami, FL 33184
Phone: 305-551-3475

Website: http://www.macandchessmiami.com/

D4 Tabletop Gaming Café – New Orleans, LA

Moving back along the southern coast of the country, next up we’re stopping off in New Orleans at the d4 Tabletop Gaming Café. This café has a small menu of sandwiches, soups, and snack foods to keep you fueled up.

The tables are first come first served, so make sure you grab your table early if you want to spend an evening here! There is an option to reserve a table on the website, but it takes an up-front fee to do so.

Once there, you can choose from their library of over 200 games to rent during your stay. The café just asks that if you want to take up a table, you buy some food or accessories from the shop – they’re intended for customers.

It’s also worth noting that this is a no alcohol establishment. They don’t carry it, and they don’t allow you to bring it in.

Check it out:

D4 Tabletop Gaming Café
8228 Oak St.
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: 504-218-7466

Website: https://d4cafe.biz/

The Wayward Kraken – Biloxi, MS

This location has the distinction of having my personal favorite menu item names of all the cafés on this list (they can go ahead and frame this quote on their wall, it’s a serious endorsement). When you sit down for a night of gaming here, you can order pub grub such as Uruk Fries, Ocarina of Lime street tacos, or some Gorram Eggrolls. It’s clear just from the menu that this is a café by nerds, for nerds.

Suggested game to play: Exploding Kittens

In their Great Hall, you can rent from the store’s game library while you eat. There is also a wide selection of craft beers available to enjoy, which the website brags includes selections from every brewery in Mississippi.

Check it out:

The Wayward Kraken
871 Howard Ave.
Biloxi, MS 39530
Phone: 228-365-1931

Website: http://www.waywardkraken.com/the-great-hall/

Meeple’s – Richmond, KY

Next up on the list is Meeple’s, a wonderful restaurant in Richmond, Kentucky named for the little person-shaped tokens found in many board games. Aside from being a great place to game with friends, with access to a sizeable board game library available for guests, Meeple’s is an excellent burger joint.

Their menu is impressive, with dozens of options to snack on while you play. They are well-known in the area for their burgers and fries, and have plenty to love even for non-gamers – a good destination if you have friends that are more on the fence about board games!

Check it out:

Meeple’s
200 W. Main St.
Richmond, KY 40475
Phone:  859-353-5206

Website: http://www.cafemeeples.com/

Tabletop Board Game Café – Cleveland, OH

Back up the middle of country to Ohio, we’ll find this next board game café in Cleveland. As with other entries on the list, they offer access to their board game library for a small fee and have memberships for more dedicated patrons.

Suggested game to play: Flick ‘em Up

The menu features a healthy selection of gourmet sandwiches, paninis, flatbreads, and finger food snacks such as chips or cheese boards. They have 5 beers on draft which they rotate through, as well as bottled beers and wine options. You can also expect a good gamut of coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

The café runs a brunch special every Saturday and Sunday, with a different menu featuring more breakfast appropriate items such as bagel sandwiches and waffles.

Check it out:

Tabletop Board Game Café
1810 W. 25^th St.
Cleveland, OH 44113
Phone: 216-512-3053

Website: https://www.tabletopcleve.com/

Pawn and Pint – Kansas City, MO

Here’s a cool curiosity: a board game café that was launched on Kickstarter! After a successful campaign that proved how much people wanted a board game café in their city, they opened in 2016 and have already moved to a bigger space since then.

With an excellent range of cocktails, a rotating tap of six beers, and a coffee bar you will have plenty of options to accompany your evening of gaming. The game library boasts over 1,000 games, which you gain access to by paying the small cover fee. They offer individual and family plans for longer term membership as well.

Suggested game to play: King of Tokyo

This location doesn’t have a kitchen, but on their website they endorse the café next door to fill that need for their guests. When the café is closed, you can also call and get pizza delivered right to your table from a local pizzeria.

Check it out:

Pawn and Pint
613 Walnut St.
Kansas City, MO 64106
Phone: 816-701-9227

Website: https://www.pawnsandpints.com/

Pieces – St. Louis, MO

This casual dining venue features an impressive library of over 950 games, with staff on hand to help you choose from among them and set up the games. The usual small fee applies here to gain access to that library, but with the bonus of knocking dollars off the cost for every item you buy from the kitchen and bar.

They host a busy weekly trivia night every Wednesday starting at 7:00pm, warning that tables and seats fill up fast – make sure to lock your table down early if you plan to be there for it.

Suggested game to play: Bananagrams

They do not take reservations, working only on a first come first served basis. If you want to book a private party room, that option is available. Otherwise you may be in for a wait depending on the night, but they welcome you to enjoy the amenities of their bar while waiting for a table to free up.

You are encouraged to stay as long as you like here once you buy in, so stake out a table and enjoy an evening of food, drink, and board gaming!

Check it out:

1535 8^th St.
St. Louis, MO 63104
Phone: 314-230-5184

Website: http://www.stlpieces.com/

Emerald Tavern Games and Café – Austin, TX

Next stop on our cross-country board game café tour, we’re going to be heading down to Austin, Texas to check out Emerald Tavern Games and Café. This trendy location was opened to provide a comfortable space to play games with friends while having some good food and drinks. That’s a concept I can get behind!

The tables and the game library are offered up for free to paying customers of the café, and you are also welcome to bring in your own games (but not your own food or drink!). The menu features a selection of the typical pub fare alongside cocktails and draft beers, which include rotating seasonal taps.

Suggested game to play: Risk

Check it out:

Emerald Tavern Games and Café
9012 Research Blvd., Suite C1
Austin, TX 78758
Phone: 512-994-4649

Website:  https://www.emeraldtaverngames.com/

Empire Board Game Library – Albuquerque, NM

Next up? Take the right turn in Albuquerque, New Mexico and you’ll find yourself in this fantastic board game café. Their game library has hundreds of options, which you can rent access to for an hourly rate during your visit.

Featured Game: Fluxx

Aside from a number of excellent looking gourmet sandwich options and desserts, the café also has an entire page of drink options. You won’t find any alcohol here but the healthy selection of coffee, tea, and soft drinks should be more than enough to make up for that.

The focus is more family-oriented, as evidenced by the lack of hard drink options, and invites guests to enjoy some face to face interaction with your loved ones.

Check it out:

Empire Board Game Library
3503 Central Ave. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
Phone: 505-232-4263

Website: http://www.empiregamelibrary.com/

Meepleville – Las Vegas, NV

Nearing the end of our list, we come next to Meepleville in Las Vegas.

This location maintains a game library of over 2,000 games to play in store for a small cover charge. Aside from offering up a range of snack foods, sandwiches, and drinks they are also a board game store with a sizeable inventory. There is staff on hand to help you through the basic rules and set-up.

Suggested game to play: Concept

The café offers the fare we’ve come to expect from these places, with plenty of finger food that won’t get in your way while you play and a selection of beer and wine.

They offer membership deals, which you can inquire about at the counter in store.

Check it out:

Meepleville Board Game Café
4704 W. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV
Phone: 702-444-4540

Website: https://www.meepleville.com/games

Spielbound – Omaha, NE

To finish out our list, I wanted to include this unique board game café in Omaha. Unlike other entries on this list, Spielbound offers their extensive game library free to the public.

This is because of their mission: they are a non-profit organization, practicing community outreach and education through board gaming. They hope to provide a fun, safe space for people of all ages to come enjoy games, connect with other people, and learn valuable skills.

Suggested game to play: Beyond Baker Street (and many other murder mystery board games)

Attached to this free-to-access game library is a for-profit café, which features a humble but more than adequate variety of food options. They also carry a great selection of coffee, tea, soft drinks, and hard drinks like beer on tap or boozy coffee.

Check it out:

Spielbound
3229 Harney St.
Omaha, NE 68131
Phone: 402-763-8444

Website:  http://spielbound.com/

Friend and Foe – Plano, TX

Friend and Foe Board Game Cafe in Plano, TX is a new board game bar with nearly 700 games in their library, gourmet sandwiches, salads, lots of snacks, a large selection of craft beers, wine, coffee drinks, and sodas. 

Check them out here:

2929 Custer Road
Suite 312
Plano, TX 75075

Website: https://www.friendandfoebgc.com/

Board Game Republic – Denver, CO

Over 750 board games available for just a $5 table fee. Board Game Republic offers a full menu, cocktails, craft brews, and a nice range of games for 2 – 12 players. This place gets busy, so even if you’re not going to enjoy their vast selection of tabletop games, reservations are definitely recommended on peak nights. Sit down, unplug, and connect – that’s their motto, and it’s in keeping with the spirit of all the best board game bars and cafes on this list. If you’re in the Denver metro area, or just passing through, definitely stop in to check this place out:

If you know of a good board game bar or cafe that’s not on this list, please send it to us for consideration. 

Thanks for stopping by!

The post Best Board Game Bars and Cafés (from Coast to Coast) appeared first on Bar Games 101.

To do so, you must rely on one player – acting as the murder victim’s ghost – to supply you with clues about the identity of the killer, where the crime happened, and the weapon used to do the deed.

Here’s the catch, though. The ghost can’t talk. They have to relay any information they have to the psychic players through vision cards, which feature images that may or may not be interpreted correctly by the psychic players.

Can you solve the mystery before time runs out, and the veil between worlds closes once more?

Lay out your tarot cards, grab your pendulum, and let’s gaze into the crystal ball while I walk you through everything you need to learn how to play Mysterium.

How to Play Mysterium: The Basics

• Players: 2-7
• Running Time: 45 minutes
• Ages 10 and up

What’s in the Box?

• 6 Intuition Tokens: One for each psychic player. Players use these to vote on what they think the ghost is trying to tell them.
• 6 Character Sleeves: One for each psychic player, representing each character
• 6 Clairvoyancy Level Markers: One for each psychic player. These track each psychic’s progress on the clairvoyancy track. They aren’t used in a 2-3 player game.
• 36 Clairvoyancy Tokens: 6 for each psychic player. You get a different number depending on how many players are in the game. (6 tokens in a 6-7 player game, 4 tokens in a 4-5 players game, and 0 tokens in a 2-3 player game)
• 1 Clock Board: This tracks the rounds of the game. It starts at 1, advancing once each round until the main phase of the game ends (either when all psychics solve their clues, or at the end of the 7^th hour if the players fail to do that).
• 4 Progress Boards: These keep track of how far along each psychic is in solving their clues.
• 54 Psychic Cards: Split into 3 types (character, location, and object). These are the cards you’ll be choosing from when guessing as a psychic, or trying to steer psychics toward with visions as a ghost.
• 54 Ghost Cards: These match the cards the psychics see. They determine what the psychics are trying to guess.
• 84 Vision Cards: These are the cards the ghost will hand to the psychics to help them figure out what they need to guess.
• 3 Crow Markers: Can be used by the ghost to redraw vision cards. How many uses the ghost gets per game changes with the difficulty.
• 6 Culprit Tokens, 6 Ghost Tokens: One for each psychic in the game, as above.
• 1 Game Screen: Provides a physical barrier between the psychics and ghost, to keep information on the ghost player’s side of the table secret
• 1 Rulebook

Preparing for the Séance

Before you start setting up a game of Mysterium, you need to decide what difficulty you want to play the game on. For your first game, you should play on easy to get the hang of the rules. This changes a few things about the game, which I’ll explain as we go.

Next, you need to decide who will be the ghost. This player will be providing the clues for the psychics in the form of vision cards, but cannot speak to help them.

The other players are the psychics, here to solve the case. Have each of these players choose a psychic to play as. They should then take the appropriate character sleeve, intuition token, and a number of clairvoyancy tokens based on the number of players.

Place the clairvoyancy level marker for each psychic in play pointing to the 0 on the clairvoyancy track.

See more fun murder mystery board games.

Set the time on the clock to the 1^st hour.

There are 3 levels of cards you’ll be laying out, corresponding to the character, location, and murder implement. Shuffle each kind of psychic card in 3 separate decks (character, location, object).

You’ll then draw a number of cards and place them face-down on the table, determining the possible choices for each piece of the case. Each level has a progress board, to keep track of which part of the case each psychic is currently trying to solve.

The format for setting up your psychic cards and progress boards on the table can be found in the rulebook, on page 6.

The number of cards you draw depends on your difficulty setting and how many players you have in the game. More players or a higher difficulty means more choices on the table, making it harder to guess a specific card for each psychic.

Playing as the Ghost

The next part of the set-up is all for the ghost player.

When the psychic cards are all set up, pull out the ghost cards that match the psychic cards on the table. Both decks are numbered, so this is a simple matter of matching numbers.

Shuffle the cards you have pulled out for each category (character, location, object).

For each category, draw one for each psychic and place it in the space provided on your board. These are the cards you are trying to get each psychic to guess during the main phase of the game.

Make sure to keep this information hidden from the psychic players.

With that, you’re ready to begin playing. Flip over all the cards on the table, and let the séance commence.

Granting Visions and Reconstructing Events

Most of the action when learning how to play Mysterium takes place during this phase. You only have a limited time before losing touch with your ghostly informant (to the tune of 7 game rounds), so hopefully you can get your evidence together quickly.

Each psychic must complete their vision of a possible murder suspect, location, and murder weapon before the end of these 7 rounds.

Lending them a little bit of help is the friendly spirit of the deceased, who is probably very keen to see their killer brought to justice.

Every round, the ghost player will have the chance to give each psychic one or more vision cards. These cards attempt to give hints that will make psychic players choose the card you want them to.

The images on the vision cards are, by nature, pretty abstract. You have to get really creative with them as the ghost, and try to predict how each psychic’s player is likely to guess. The linking quality could be that your vision card has glass in it and the murder weapon was the bottle of poison, or it could have a similar color scheme to the card you want the player to guess.

Be careful when picking vision cards as the ghost. You can’t control how players will interpret your vague visions, and you may accidentally lead them astray with your vision card.

How you use your visions as the ghost is up to you. What you can’t do, though, is help the psychics during the rounds. You can watch as much as you like to help decide what visions to grant them in the future, but you cannot offer any comments or gestures that can be seen as clues.

Each round is timed by an hourglass, putting pressure on psychics to interpret their visions quickly. When you believe you know what card the ghost wants you to pick, place your intuition token on that card.

Other psychics are welcome to help each other interpret their visions. You’re all in this together, after all.

At the end of each round, the ghost will let each player know if their intuition was correct or not. If correct, move the intuition token up to deal with the next tier of psychic cards (in order, you go from character to location to object). That psychic also collects the card they guessed, placing it in their character’s sleeve.

If wrong, the token is placed back where it started that round and the player will have to guess again next time.

If any psychic has not completed all 3 parts of their vision (character, location, and object) at the end of the 7^th round, everybody loses.

Clairvoyancy Tokens

If you’re learning how to play Mysterium playing with 4 or more players, psychic players will have some of these tokens. They have the option to spend these tokens to vote whether or not they believe another player’s card choice that round is correct.

If you think another player is right on the money, or if you think they are way off the mark – you can let everybody know.

There is a green check if you agree with their choice and a red “x” if you don’t. To vote on a player’s card choice, place one of these token next to their intuition token. Make sure it’s clear which intuition token you’re voting on if there’s more than one on a card. You have to place these votes before the round ends, and you can change your mind at any time as long as the round isn’t over yet.

When the rounds ends, if you voted correctly on that intuition (either you voted yes and it was correct, or you voted no and it was wrong) you move up one space on the clairvoyancy track.

Being higher on this track gives you extra visions to solve the final mystery at the end of the game, so you should be trying to get as many as you can.

Spend carefully, as whenever you use a clairvoyancy token to vote you discard it. You’ll also be punished for holding on to tokens too long, though, as your supply replenishes halfway through the game when the clock hand reaches the 4.

Solve the Case

When any player completes all 3 pieces of their case, they can still help the other players figure out their clues as the game advances.

If all players manage to solve all their clues, the game will proceed to the final round.

The cards the psychics gathered in the first part of the game tell you the possible answers for the mystery – who did it, where, and how. Now you have to figure out which psychic’s vision is right.

Remove the cards from each psychic’s sleeves and place them on the table, grouped by psychic. Use the ghost tokens to assign a number to each group for voting later on. The ghost will decide which group is the correct vision, placing a culprit token on the table face-down with the number of their choice on it.

The psychics all then have a shared vision, telling them the identity of the true killer.

The ghost chooses 3 vision cards from their hand. Each one should correspond to one card in the group you want the players to guess – either the character, location, or object. Shuffle these up and put them face-down on the table.

The psychic players now have to vote on which group they think the ghost picked, based on the shared vision.

Psychics low on the clairvoyancy track only get to see one of these cards before they vote on a group. Then, turn over the second card of the shared vision. Psychics that passed the first marker on the track vote after the second vision card is revealed. If any players made it to a high clairvoyancy level, they get to see all 3 cards before they vote.

These votes are done in secret, without consulting with the other psychics.

If you get stuck with a low clairvoyance, you might not have much information for your final vote – be careful. This can easily lose you the game.

Once all the votes are in, it’s time to see if you’ve won or lost.

Win or Lose Together

The player highest on the clairvoyancy track gathers up all the player’s votes. This is the moment of truth.

Count up which group got the most votes. Flip over the culprit token the ghost put down earlier in the round. If the number is the same, you all win! If not, well, better luck next time.

Special Rules for Two and Three Players

There are some changes you have to make to the game to accommodate 2-3 players:

• There is no clairvoyancy track and the clairvoyancy tokens are not used
• The psychic players each play with 2 psychics, meaning that each player must solve 3 clues for each one.
• In the final phase of the game, the 3 vision cards for the shared vision are placed face up
• During the final vote for a 2 player game, only vote once
• For the final vote in a 3 player game, you vote openly rather than in secret. Both psychic players must discuss and agree upon a vote, both placing their intuition tokens on it.

The post How to Play Mysterium, a Co-operative Murder Mystery Board Game appeared first on Bar Games 101.

It was known to be popular in ancient Roman times, and apparently also had a large following through the medieval era in Europe.

The actual origin of the game is not known, but this strategy game has endured the test of time due both to simplicity of rules and depth of strategy in the gameplay.

It’s easy to set up, the materials are cheap and simple, and the game doesn’t take long to play.

The name “Nine Men’s Morris” seems to be a somewhat recent addition to the game – the first known mention of the name is in the works of Shakespeare.

The oldest Nine Men’s Morris board known is carved into an Egyptian temple dating to 1400 BCE. There’s no telling when the carving was made, of course, but that’s still a long and storied legacy for such a seemingly humble game.

Ready to learn the rules, and see why this game has been played for millennia? We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to play your own game of Nine Men’s Morris.

Overview and Materials

Depending on your personal preferences, there are countless varieties of game sets you can buy for Nine Men’s Morris. The success of the game through history is at least partly due to how simple the game components are, meaning that in past eras the less wealthy could make their own boards and pieces with ease.

All you need to play a game is:

• A Game Board: The board is made up of three squares, stacked inside each other. There are 8 points on each square – one in each corner, and one in the center of each side. The points in the center of each square are linked to each other by lines, forming a kind of grid. During the game, players will be competing to place their men on these points – trying to make lines of 3.
• 18 Men: You will need 9 tokens for each player to represent their “men”, usually split into two colors so you can tell which men belong to which player.

That is the grand total of all materials you need for a game of Nine Men’s Morris. Seriously!

Related: Our Favorite Traditional Pub Games

Goal of the Game

The aim is also straightforward in Nine Men’s Morris. Each player is trying to create Mills, or complete lines of 3 men, to remove the opponent’s pieces from the board.  When one player is either left with no legal moves, or they are left with only 2 men (not enough to create their own Mills), the other player is victorious.

The game takes place over 2 main phases, with an optional final phase sometimes included in the rules.

Phase 1: Placing Your Men

When the game begins, flip a coin to see who gets to place the first man on the board.

That player can place one of their men on any available point on the board. Then the other player has a chance to do the same, and the turns alternate this way until both players have played down all 9 of their men.

During this phase of the game, you can already start completing Mills and capturing pieces. Whenever 3 of your men form a line on the board, you have made a Mill. When you make a Mill, you can remove one of your opponent’s pieces from the board.

A piece that is removed this way is captured, and can’t be played again.

A quick strategy tip for this phase: don’t get drawn in by trying too hard to make Mills during this first phase. The best approach is, instead, to try to set yourself up for good repeatable Mills in the 2^nd phase of the game.

Phase 2: Moving Men, Making Mills

Once both players have placed all 9 of their men on the game board, the 2^nd phase of the game begins.

In this phase, the players can now move their men around on the game board. You should be trying to make Mills during this phase aggressively, while also keeping an eye on disrupting your opponent’s ability to make their own Mills.

Continuing the turn order from the previous phase, the first player can move one of their men on the game board to any point connected by a line. Then, the other player does the same and the back and forth continues until somebody only has 3 pieces left.

You can break and re-form Mills any number of times during this phase, and each time you re-make the Mill with your move you get to remove one of your opponent’s men again. This is where the importance of that Phase 1 set-up comes in! You could even set yourself up in such a way that you are moving a piece back and forth between 2 Mills, removing a piece every turn.

Also, a quick but important note about capturing opponent’s men: you can’t capture men in Mills unless there aren’t any other options to capture on the board.

At this point, the game could end when one player has no legal moves or if someone is left with only 2 pieces. If you like, though, you can instead move on to a 3^rd phase when one player is reduced to 3 pieces.

Phase 3: Fly, Fly Away

When one player reaches 3 pieces, they are in very real danger of losing imminently – and there probably isn’t much they can do about it! You can technically still make a Mill with 3 pieces, but depending on how many pieces remain for your opponent that might not be enough.

To give the player in the losing position a chance, in the 3^rd phase the player with 3 pieces gains the ability to fly.

They can now move their piece to any available point on the game board. This probably won’t be enough to save them, but it gives them a shot to fight back against the inevitable.

Winning the Game

Ending a game of Nine Men’s Morris is as straightforward as playing it was. When you’ve captured all but 2 of an opponent’s men, they no longer have the ability to make Mills so the game is over. Congratulations, you win!

You might also be able to ring your opponent in, leaving them with no legal moves. This also would result in a victory for you.

If you’ve never given Nine Men’s Morris a play, what are you waiting for? It couldn’t be easier to set up and play, and it’s a fantastic game for two players to pass some idle time. Join millions of people through millennia of history in enjoying this classic strategy game!

The post How to Play Nine Men’s Morris? Simple Strategy with Ancient Roots appeared first on Bar Games 101.

Here’s another one to add to your list of party games.

The Concept board game is a fresh take on a tried and true game idea; the guessing game. It’s a great option if you’re tired of playing charades – and who isn’t, really?

In Concept, teams of two players work together to try to get the other players at the table to guess a word or phrase from a card they’ve drawn.

Much like charades, they can’t speak or make gestures other than to say “yes” or nod. Unlike charades, they can only communicate with other players by placing different kinds of tokens on a board covered in different small symbolic icons.

Concept is quick to learn and a ton of fun to play – it’s a perfect candidate to pull out at any party or get-together, playing well with anywhere from 4 to 12 players.

Are you ready to learn how to play? Explaining the rules won’t take long at all, so let’s dive right in.

How to Play Concept

• Players: 4-12
• Running Time: 40 minutes
• Ages 10 and up

Inside the Box

• 1 Game Board: This is covered in all sorts of small images, which teams can use to give clues about their word or phrase.
• 5 Sets of Pawns and Cubes: These are placed on the images by teams to try to communicate concepts. There are 5 different colors to allow a team to have different concepts on the board at once.
• 110 Concept Cards: Each card has 9 words or phrases on them, with 3 levels of difficulty. Teams choose their word or phrase from one of these cards during the game.
• Victory Tokens: 1 and 2 point varieties, for tracking player scores.
• 2 Player Aids
• 1 Storage Bowl: This makes it easier to pass the pawns and cubes from team to team each turn!

Setting Up to Play

It’s a quick, no-fuss affair to set up a game of Concept.

Place down the game board where everyone playing has a good view of the icons. This is important, as they need to see the icons to be able to guess what the team is trying to communicate.

Put all the pawns and cubes in the storage bowl. Find a good place to lay out all your victory tokens.

Shuffle the concept card deck. You’ll be drawing from this as the game goes on, so put it somewhere everyone can reach. You could also pass the deck around along with the tokens for each team if you have a large group.

That’s it! The game needs very few components to run. With all this in place, all that’s left is for the players to decide who goes first.

The rulebook doesn’t offer a preferred method for deciding this, so it’s up to you how you choose the first team. Roll a dice, flip a coin, or settle the conflict through ritual combat – whatever is simplest.

Choosing the Concept

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Whichever team of 2 players you have decided will go first draws a Concept card.

There are 9 words or phrases to choose from on each card, ranging from easy to very difficult to guess. The team should decide together on a word or phrase on the card, which they will try to communicate to the other players.

They can’t do this through any straight-forward means, of course.

Instead, teams must place their pawns and cubes on the different icons on the game board to try to communicate their concept to the other players.

Sound simple? It is, and it isn’t.

Communicating Your Concept

The green question mark pawn and the accompanying 10 green cubes are used to illustrate your team’s main concept.

You can use these in a straightforward manner, placing the question mark on the central idea of the concept and reinforcing that idea by placing green cubes on other images.

Let’s have an example: You want the players to guess milk, so you place the question mark on the water drop so they know they are guessing a liquid. Then, you place cubes on the food and the white icons on the board, to show that this is a white liquid you can eat. Hopefully, this is enough to get them to guess milk!

You can get much more abstract if you like, though you have to be careful about how others will interpret what you’re doing. It may be a clever connection, but that might not help anybody guess!

You can also get creative and do things like place multiple cubes on one image, or move cubes from one image to another. One strategy I’ve seen is moving a cube repeatedly towards an image to demonstrate motion toward something.

When you want to add another concept to the board, you can use the other color pawns and cubes provided to create sub-concepts for players to guess that might get them closer to your word or phrase.

You are not limited in how often you place or pick up cubes and pawns while trying to get players to guess. Things like the order you place down cubes can be important, so it’s okay to pick up and place back down cubes to remind players of that order!

You can also, at any time, sweep the board clean and start fresh with a new main concept. This might be a good idea if it’s clear the other players are way off track in their guesses.

The Guessing Game

The players can guess as many times as they wish. The team whose turn it is can only say “yes” when other players are on the right track with their guesses.

Otherwise, no communication of any kind – verbal or gestures – is allowed with the other players.

Team members are free to collaborate quietly about the concept they are trying to communicate to the other players. Both players can place cubes freely as they wish without regard for any kind of turn order. It might pay to make sure you’re on the same page before placing cubes all over the board, though.

If everybody is really struggling with the word or phrase and the team is ready to throw in the towel, they can choose a third player to help them. This player gets a share of the victory points when the word or phrase is guessed.

The first player to successfully guess the word or phrase ends the round, scoring 2 victory points for themselves. The team members each receive 1 victory point when their word or phrase is guessed.

There is no extra bonus for harder words, it’s just for fun! It’s recommended to begin with easier words your first few games, but if you have a group that’s getting really good at the game it might be time to start working with the more challenging words!

Ending the Game

When the 12 double victory tokens have been claimed, after 12 successful guesses, the game ends.

At this point, the player with the most victory points wins the game.

The rules for ending a game and winning are somewhat arbitrary in actual play, in my experience. Even the rulebook encourages you to throw out the whole points system and just play for the fun of guessing. You can easily just set up a game of Concept and play as long as it’s fun for everybody, without keeping track of any points at all.

If you want to live more competitively, though, the rulebook also offers up an alternative where more challenging words score you extra victory points for the team and the player that guess them.

However you prefer to play it, Concept is sure to become a centerpiece of your future game nights and social gatherings!

Top Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The post How to Play Concept: A Refreshing Board Game Twist on Charades appeared first on Bar Games 101.

It doesn’t require anything to play except a group of people, some alcohol, a good drumming surface like a table, and the willingness to field noise complaints.

The frenetic pace of the game and the constant drumming involved is sure to whip everybody up, so expect things to get really loud.

Thumper is a great way to kick off a party or a night with friends. It’s sure to get energy levels high and leave everyone with a healthy buzz to get the night started.

Are you ready to learn the rules?

What You’ll Need

• People: As many as you can get! Just make sure you have enough table room for everyone.
• A Table: A fine drumming surface for the discerning drinker.
• Alcohol: It isn’t much of a drinking game otherwise! Pick whichever poison is your preference.

Gather Around the Table

The rules of Thumper are simple to learn – it’s the execution that will trip you up once you start drinking.

First, gather all your players around the table. Make sure everyone has enough table surface to themselves for drumming.

The player who begins the game will start a steady beat by drumming their hands on the table. Everyone else follows suit, creating a very chaotic environment right from the onset.

This will get people around the table fired up quickly! It also makes it very hard to concentrate once the game kicks in – that’s not a problem, it’s a feature.

The first player asks everyone: “What are we playing?”

The correct response is: “Thumper!”

Then, the first player asks the vital question: “Why do we play it?”

The proper response from the others is an enthusiastic: “To get f*cked up!”

This is where the round kicks in and the game really starts. Hold on to your drinks, it’s going to get hectic fast.

Creating and Passing Gestures

Once the ritual of the call and response demanded by the drinking gods is complete, the first player creates a gesture and shows it to the table.

This can be as simple as a thumbs up or a peace sign, or it could be a gesture of your own creation.

Whatever you choose to do, it should be able to be done quickly to keep the game flowing smooth.

Some ideas for hand symbols or gestures to get you started:

• Put your hands over your ears
• Cross your arms
• Mime answering a telephone

As you can probably tell, there’s no real limit on what gesture you do. It’s only important that the gesture can be mimicked quickly to keep pace with the drumbeat.

In Thumper, the first player demonstrates their gesture to the table so everyone can see it. They then pass the turn to somebody else at the table by pointing to them.

This next player must attempt to copy the gesture created by the first player. They then create a unique gesture of their own. This next player passes the turn to someone else the same way.

The next player in line has to copy both the first player’s gesture, and the second.

As the round builds with each player creating gestures, the next player up has to perform every gesture that came before them, in order, before creating their own. This is when it gets hard.

Of course, eventually, you know somebody is going to slip up…

Failing to Keep Up

If a player forgets a gesture, does one out of order, stumbles significantly, or is unable to create their own quickly enough the round ends and they have to drink.

If the player didn’t see the gesture before them, or doesn’t realize they were supposed to be up next – too bad, they have to drink anyway. Pay better attention next time!

Be sure to keep the pace going at that point. The key to this game is not letting the energy fade between rounds. Everyone have a good cheer, bottoms up to the loser, and begin the drumming anew.

The player that had to drink will begin the new round with a fresh set of gestures.

Don’t forget to ask the questions at the start of every round. You wouldn’t want anyone to forget what you’re playing or your goals, after all.

As the Game Goes On

You can probably guess exactly why this game is effective as a drinking game. The more alcohol you have, the more fun the drumming gets, and the harder it gets to concentrate on remembering every other player’s gestures.

As the game progresses, mistakes will become more frequent. As mistakes become more frequent, the pace picks up, and more people drink. It’s a beautiful cycle that ends in everyone getting hyped up and tipsy.

There is no set end to a game of Thumper; it tends to fall apart when the time is right.

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