Board game

A board game is one of the oldest games that have existed since the earliest civilizations across the world. The presence of many documents, artefacts and historical sites, substantiate this fact. ’Senct’ is supposed to be the oldest board game that existed as early as c. 3500 B.C. The popularity of the board games increased after the Second World War. The classic board games date back to this period.

To play this kind of game, usually a ’board’ and some ’counters’ or ’pieces’ are required. The board is usually a quadrilateral surface while the counters or pieces represent the players. The board is marked according to the specifications of the game. The opponents or players move the counters or pieces across the board. Usually the board games have a theme, a subject or a story, according to which the moves are made and the game progresses.

The board games are of many types like, the Roll-and-Move games e.g. Monopoly, Race games e.g. Backgammon, War games e.g. Risk, Word games e.g. Scrabble, Strategy games e.g. Chess. The board games can also be categorised as the ones that mainly rely on luck and the ones that are strategy-based; then there are others, which rely on both the factors. Children’s games like Snake and Ladder, Sorry! etc. are mostly luck based.

The game Monopoly, has acquired the distinction to merit recognition in the Guinness Book, as being the most played board game in the world. The object of this immensely popular game is to collect wealth and make the opponents bankrupt thus, acquiring monopoly or domination of a market.

Cluedo is a board game that requires the players to solve a murder mystery. The goal of the game is to be the first to make the accusation. Only the player, who is close to solving the mystery, can make the accusation.

Jigsaw puzzles require interlocking of small pieces, to form a complete picture. This game can be both educative and entertaining.

Cranium, as the name suggests, is a brain game. The game involves a number of activities that need to be completed successfully in the stipulated time. This game enhances logic and spatial perception.

Chess is a very popular board game, played by millions of people all over the world. This game requires just two players and involves a number of strategies and tactics. Chess has been recognised as a sport, by the International Committee. In the Middle Ages, Chess was played by the nobility and was termed as the ’King’s Game’ and was used to teach the strategies of warfare.

Most of the board games can be termed as family games. Although, some games like cranium, chess and cluendo are adult board games but, the children can enjoy them, too. Some people love to collect vintage board games. Board games can be termed as Games of life as they are based on the different aspects of life.

A variety of board games, are now even available on the computer or the Internet. Interestingly, one player is sufficient to play a board game on the computer, as the computer can itself take the place of an opponent in the game.