Board Games

Board games are tabletop games played with a board, cards, dice or pieces, where players follow shared rules to win, survive or outwit each other. They range from ancient classics like chess, backgammon and Go to modern games packed with strategy, bluffing and teamwork. Whether you're after a relaxed hour with a coffee or a cut-throat battle for bragging rights, there's a board game for it.

Strategy games are all about planning. You gather resources, place workers, build clever combo engines or grow an empire, and every decision matters. Expect to hear someone say "I've got a plan" and then watch it fall apart.

Cooperative games put everyone on the same side against the game itself. You win together or lose together, which keeps friendships intact.

Social deduction games are the opposite. Someone at the table is secretly working against the group, and it's up to everyone else to work out who. Trust nobody.

Party games are quick, loud and made for bigger groups, with drawing, guessing, word play and plenty of shouting. Dexterity games test steady hands, with flicking, stacking and balancing. And the classics are still classics for a reason.

It's a Drop-in, so you can wander in whenever the mood takes you. Tell your Activity Leader what you're into, whether that's laid-back, ultra-competitive, a game for your whole crew or something to play with new friends, and they'll match you with the perfect game and teach you the rules. No reading a rulebook for half an hour first. Just sit down and play.

You're in for a treat. Modern board games tend to be quicker to learn, with fewer long waits between turns and fewer people knocked out early to sulk in the corner. Many are designed so everyone stays in the game right to the end. Start with something short and simple, then work your way up. Warning: you may leave with a list of games to buy and a new weekly game night.

Absolutely. A game gives you something to do with your hands and something to talk about, which takes the pressure off meeting new people. Within a few turns you're plotting, bluffing and laughing together like old friends. Or old rivals. Either way, it's one of the easiest ways to go from strangers to teammates.

You might also like Traitors, Petanque and Crazy Golf.

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