If you have even a passing interest in the topic of Board Games, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of Board Games.

Counting down 5, 10 or even 20 most popular board games of all time is not an easy thing to do. For one, we cannot just simply pick some of the games we know or we have played in the past and put them together on the pedestal. There is no single criteria to determine of a game can be considered as such. Is most popular mean best-selling? Well-known? Or is it a combination of both or other factors?

And due to the subjectivity of the matter and hundreds of games to choose from, picking a game out of the blue can stir some negative reactions to both gamers and creators of the game. Still, we have to make a decision. Since the term “most popular” has to be the most loved, most familiar and most copies sold, in here, we shall base our selections.

1.) Checkers is a fast-paced game that involves virtually limitless range of game possibilities. Although only two players can participate at a time, its simplicity, its very basic rules and the fast-paced character of the game make it perfect for everyone who wants ongoing challenges or tournaments for larger groups.

Why is it on the list? Almost everyone, if not all, knows how to play checkers or can learn how to play the game. And as said above, it is simple, fast-paced and a lot of fun.

2.) Chess is another game with virtually limitless range of game possibilities but involves more strategic and highly trained moves. While chess is more difficult to learn and much harder to master, it is an excellent past-time once you learn the basic moves.

Why is it on the list? Chess is played by millions of people around the world, at home, online, in tournaments and by correspondence. Hundreds of books are dedicated for the game and several international competitions are created to bring out the best in the league.

3.) Monopoly. It may take several hours to play but at least you will learn how to manage, invest and bargain real estate properties in this classic real estate game.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

Why is it on the list? It was a big hit when it was first released during the great depression. Monopoly has sold over 200 million copies and has been published in 89 languages. It is estimated that at least 500 million people have played the game. How’s that for a board game?

4.) Sorry! is a colorful and easy to play game that appeals to players of younger generations. The game originated from England before it moved to the United States. Today, the game is sold by Parker brothers.

Why is it on the list? Every Americans must admit that they have played the game at least once in their lifetime. Also, Sorry! has been released in different versions such as Sorry!: The Disney Edition, Pokémon Sorry! and Sorry!: The Spider-Man 3 Edition. For more than 70 years it still maintains its popularity and appeal to children.

5.) Scrabble is not only entertaining; it is also educational. While beginners with limited vocabulary will find it hard to form words, playing the game regularly will improve language skills and encourages learning, reading and literacy, which will help the player to become better.

Why is it on the list? Scrabble has been published 29 language versions and is sold in 121 countries. It is estimated that at least 150 million copies have been sold and 1 out of 3 American homes has a scrabble board.

Other board games that deserve recognition are Chutes and Ladders, Clue, Operation, Life and Yahzee.

About the Author
Bob Roberts,ex PE teacher, did not start playing golf until he was well into his 50′s but now plays two to three times a week. He knows the pitfalls a beginner faces and has written two websites targeted mainly at high handicap golfers. For more information about his tips for golf go here===> Start Playing Golf and Tips For Golf

This article explains a few things about Board Games, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

Board games are said to exist to give fun and also to enhance one’s verbal skills, knowledge on trivia, quick mind, and creative thinking. They do make learning twice the fun. In fact, there are also special variations of games that are meant to be played by children of varying ages. Through all of these varieties, there is one type which can enrich you spiritually. Christian board games are also available and are specifically designed to help you grow ecclesiastically.

The knowledge about the Bible is held to be very important since it plays a major role in the formation of an individual. If you do place much value on your faith, then it is time for you to play this sort of game too.

Strengthening Your Bond with God

Sure enough, there are a lot of ways on how you can enhance your spiritual growth. You may attend Bible readings, Sunday school, read Biblical materials, go to church regularly, attend praise and worship, and many more. However, it will not hurt you to try a valuable game that may serve as a supplement to your usual practices, right?

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Board Games. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Playing the Biblical related game boards is another way that can strengthen the bond that you have with God other than spending much of your time in playing trivia games or those that only focus on the improvement of your creative thinking and verbal skills. This does not mean though that they are not of equal importance but the religiously affiliated games are the ones that will lead you towards the fortification of your faith.

A Glance at the Early Bible Games

The popularity of the Bible games can be traced back to the later part of the 1890s when the Decker Partners commenced the game with the name Bible Characters. This then served as a catalyst because a lot other versions came forth. Among them include the Bible Game of Facts, Places, and Events; Bible Authors, and the Bible Boys. The market for the Bible games started to expand although some people may have never taken time to consider them.

Innovative Bible Games of Today

These days, there is a myriad of board games that follow a religious pattern since they are meant to stir the player’s Biblical knowledge. The company called Apples to Apples has a special game edition that tackles on the word association regarding the Bible. Included are the Biblical characters, events, places, themes, and many more.

Another game is called the Mad Gab which is also very interesting. The players have to sound out a phrase that is comprised of randomly selected words. The members of the team should correctly guess it and say the phrase in proper order. Those who already have a profound knowledge about the Bible as well as those who aim to enhance their familiarity always welcome to play. The game can furthermore encourage the players to take more time in learning the Word of the Lord.

Christian Bible games also include strategies and trivia questions. DVD and CD as well as online games are also available these days. More so, educators likewise suggest the integration of the games into the teaching methodologies to stimulate the children to harness their relationship with God in more ways than one.

So why not improve your spirituality and expose your young children to this scheme as well?

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Board Games. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Board Games.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of Board Games is certainly no exception.

Whenever they ask me, “what is the best board game for my family?” I often return the same question back. Not because I don’t have the answer or I simply don’t want to give them any information, but because recommending one or two board game titles to everyone would mean that I have objectively identified what are good board games and what are not. To be honest, I have not cracked the criteria on how to judge board games. Perhaps, determining which one good is very subjective. And so where do we go from here?

Identifying the board games that are enjoyable for the family relies on the age of your kids, the available time you have on playing and the skill level of the game. Choosing among them will be your task.

There are hundreds of board games around and many of them are for kids. But the fact is a lot do not deserve any of your time. Still, many are indeed very enjoyable.

In this article, I have enumerated some of the board games that are easy to play and have a simple theme that appeals to younger ages. You can base your choices here:

Chutes and Ladders (also known as Snakes and Ladders) is a classic and simple game played by two or more persons. The game is played on a board with numbered grid squares. On certain squares there are a number of chutes (or snakes) and ladders, connecting two squares together. The lack of skills needed and the simplicity of the game make it less appealing to older folks but for kids who can roll a die, this game is a sure winner.

If your Board Games facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important Board Games information slip by you.

Connect Four, while this is not exactly a board game, it deserves all the rights to be included in this list. Also known as Four in a Row, Plot Four and Four in a Line, this fast-paced game develops concentration, cause and effect, and strategy. The aim of the game is simple: be the first to connect four checker pieces in a row while preventing your opponent from doing the same. Connect Four is a two-player game and can be played by children, 7 years old and above.

Monopoly Jr. If Monopoly (the original version) is very technical for your kids, why not try Monopoly Jr.? It has much simpler rules and less properties to manage, purchase and bargain. Monopoly Jr. is recommended for families with kids 5 years old and above.

Sorry! The object of the game is to be the first player to reach all four pawns or tokens from the start square to the home square. Players rely on randomizers (cards that are drawn from the stack) so it can be played by kids as young as 4 years old.

Zingo is very similar to bingo; but instead of numbers, the players have to pick a board with nine pictures. Then, the players take turns by sliding Zingo chips to release 2 pictures. The first player to match all nine pictures from his or her board wins. This game is recommended for families with kids of at least 4 years old.

Other kids games you should consider are Life, Don’t Say It, Taboo, Pictionary, Settlers of Catan, Catch Phrase, Upwords, Othello, Uno, Cranium Conga, Balderdash, Apples to Apples, Uno and the all time favorite, Checkers.

Take time to consider the points presented above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to take action.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now offering the host then profit baby plan for only $1 over at Host Then Profit

When you’re learning about something new, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available. This informative article should help you focus on the central points.

The key to winning a scrabble game is to finish with the highest score when all the tiles have been laid down on the table ? with emphasis on the phrase “to finish with the highest score.” I said this because many players, mainly beginners, only try to come up with words regardless of the point-value. As a result, they may have laid all their tiles down but still score low at the end of the game.

As with most games, constant practice makes one perfect, or at least, better. In scrabble, however, you have to possess some tricks in order to win.

Work with the Q
The letter ‘Q’ is perhaps the most dreaded letter in scrabble, especially if it is not hooked with the letter ‘U’. But did you know that there are 21 words that use a Q without a U? They are: FAQIR(S), QAID(S), QANAT(S), QAT(S), QINDAR(S), QINTAR(S), QINDARKA, QOPH(S), QWERTY(S), SHEQEL, SHEQELIM and TRANQ(S). Other words that may come in handy are QIVIUT(S), MAQUI(S), SUQ(S), UMIAQ(S) and BUQSHA(S).

Learn the X, J, Q and Z words
The letters X, J, Q and Z have the highest point-value. Ironically, beginners hate these letters. But if you will just study words that have any of these letters, not only you will have a higher score, you will also prevent your opponent from scoring a bingo.

See how much you can learn about Board Games when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Don’t waste your S’s
Surely, the easiest way to score is to add an S to an existing word on the board. This is good if you will land on a double or triple word score. But if you are just using S without any reason or simply because it is the first possible move you see on the table, you are just giving your opponent an extra move and at the same time, wasting a valuable letter. Play the letter S if the value yields to at least 10 points, lower than that and you are playing to lose. For example, ROLL is just 4 points. If you add S to make it ROLLS, it will just give you 5 points. But if the word is JUMP, adding S on a double word score space will yield to 26 points. Keep your S for a while until you can maximize its value.

Go Bingo Hunting
Another trick you have to remember is to look for prefixes and suffixes. The word PAIR can become REPAIR or PAIRING or even, REPAIRING. TAIL can be linked with RE- to make it RETAIL or RE- and -ERS to make it RETAILERS. Having the letters S, R, E, I, N and G can be very, very useful.

Learn the 2-letter words
When the board begins to get crowded and long words begin to lose their place, you start going for 2-letter words. But if your vocabulary is limited, you cannot simply invent words, right? QI, SO, TO, UP, OW, OX, XI, KI and HO are just an example. There are more. Learn them.

Keep your eyes on the board
The ability to spot scoring opportunities is one of the key elements in winning the game. Obviously, you can easily play your S, R and E if you want to score in a hurry. But as much as possible, combine high- or mid-value tile in your rack with colored squares on the board.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his Perpetual20 training site for great bonuses: Perpetual20

As it has often been said, learning does not simply materialize within the four corners of the classrooms. Children must be exposed to a lot other factors that can stimulate the learning process. The process should not also be cumbersome. It must be gradual yet direct to the point. Board games have this role to undertake. They present situations that require quick thinking. In more ways than one, a player is able to discover an innovative way of learning things and how they work.

Moreover, the games promote both fun and learning. What is even better is that they have variants that are best to be used by the children and the adults as well. Talk about educational board games! Likewise, educators find these mediums as a great aid in supplementing the learning scheme for their children. They do encourage parents to guide their children as they get exposed to these innovative ways of learning.

A Fact about Board Games

In many ways, the players have to use their minds to solve problems, get through the obstacles, memorize some facts, and win the game. At any rate, competitiveness and learning go along. This fact has been deemed very vital by the educators since the games actually show a simulation to the real life scenarios which are by and large easier to grasp in contrast with the conventional teaching methodologies.

The board games are not only best to play after school but in some lessons, they are integrated. Take for example some class activities in specific subjects wherein the facts utilized in the game have something to do with the current lessons. The popular educational games also make learning more fun especially for the kids. Their minds are trained to process the given information faster than what may be expected when the data have been presented in school.

One more thing, by integrating these educational games into the children’s learning process, they obtain a mindset that clearly speaks about how fun it is to learn. They somehow leave out the idea that learning and memorizing facts are boring. They are able to double their enthusiasm and store knowledge into their minds in a more comfortable and easier way. Even when the child is not yet qualified to join a school, these games can already be introduced to him.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Board Games. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Appropriate Board Games per Age

You see, the board games include a variety of designs and styles. It is then necessary for you to know which of them are appropriate for the age of the child.

Three and up. Focus on the games that are geared towards the development of mental skills. These games should involve the recognition of letters, colors, numbers, and shapes.

Six up to nine. You may utilize those which are a bit complex. Employ games that include rules to follow and strategies to apply. Some suggested games are Uno, Monopoly, Checkers, and Dominoes.
Nine up to twelve. Use games that require more thinking. Brain alertness must be your focus. Try out Clue, Chess, and Game of Life.

Thirteen and above. Games that involve the use of logic, mathematical skills, and a lot other complex strategies are best to play. Scrabble, Chess, Bookworm, and many others are some of the suggested games.

Educational board games are both for the young and adults. After all, learning does not comprise an age bracket. There is always a time to enhance your skills!

Those who only know one or two facts about Board Games can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, now offering the host then profit baby plan for only $1 over at Host Then Profit

The following article presents the very latest information on Board Games. If you have a particular interest in Board Games, then this informative article is required reading.

Many board games are made to entertain and facilitate family bonding. But word games provide more than that. Word games improve language skills, expand vocabulary and promote quick thinking. Let us look at top word games that are both well known and deserve a good recognition.

Scrabble. This game does not need any introduction. The fact that it has sold more than 100 million copies and has been published in 21 different language versions, the game is considered to be one of the most successful board games ever invented and the most successful word games of all time. Scrabble is very easy to play and the rules could not be any simpler. With the right skill in language and vocabulary, you can shuffle different letter tiles to make a word. The good thing about this game is that, as you play along, you will learn different words and you can actually expand your vocabulary. (For 2 to 4 players but it can be played alone.)

Typo. The game starts with 12 cards at hand with 5 cards on the table – each card with a letter. The players will then try to expand the cards on the table by playing their cards. Typo may not be as popular as scrabble but it surely is a fun and exciting game.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Board Games, keep reading.

Upwords. Many word games today are based on scrabble. One of these is Upwords. The game is even played almost the same as scrabble. Players must stack letter on top of the existing words on the table to create new one. Scoring is rather different though. All letters in the game is worth the same (in scrabble, certain letters have higher points value than others).

Boggle. This is not exactly played on a board. Still, boggle can be classified as one of the top word games in the market. The game works like word factory. Players must be able to find as many words as possible on a 4×4 grid (16 cubic dice with letters on each face) as the sand timer works its way down. The player scores by finding words that the other players were not able to locate. It is fast-paced game that is fun and very addictive. Scoring depends on the length of the words found.

Apples to Apples. It seems that the title came out when the creator who had finally finished conceptualizing the game didn’t really have a good name for it. So he just decided to name it Apples to Apples. Of course, this is not the real story of the game. But then you have to think that how come two decks of cards (nouns and adjectives) could have such a name? Anyway, Apples and Apples is so much fun. The game is designed for 4 to 10 players with 30 to 60 minutes of playing time. (For 12 years old and above)

BuyWord. If you love to make money out of buying something at a low price and then selling it high, then you’ll definitely understand BuyWord quickly. Designed by Sid Jackson, this game takes at least 30 minutes to play and requires basic skills in counting and vocabulary. The concept of “buy low, sell high” will really come in handy. (For ages 8 years old and up)

As your knowledge about Board Games continues to grow, you will begin to see how Board Games fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
Monica Flower likes to take courses about floral arrangements. Discover the secrets of flower arrangements by visiting www.flower-arranging-courses.net, a blog about top flower arranging courses and best flower arranging classes.

Understanding board game jargons is not very complicated. So for most who have been playing board games for quite some time, this may sound like a remedial. But for those who consider themselves a beginner, the following terms can be very helpful. You don’t need to memorize this. Once you learn about these terms, and have encountered them in the actual game, you will get the grip.

(Note: every board game has jargons of their own but these are the generalized terms that are basic and apply to almost all.)

Game Board?or commonly referred to as “board” is the surface (usually quadrilateral) where the game is played. On most games, the board used is unchanging or standardized but others use tiles or cards that enable the layout of the game to change as the game progresses or depending on the agreement of the players before the game starts.

Environment?is basically the game board or the board where the game is played. The term is used interchangeably with game board. Environment can also be a tabletop, a score sheet or something different. There are randomized environment like the one used on Settlers of Catan, abstract environment like the chess board, evolving environment like in Carcassonne and representative environment like in Euro boards among others.

Tokens (or pegs or pieces or counters or bits)?are the game pieces that represent the player on the game board. The number of tokens used by a player may vary depending on the game. In chess, 16 tokens or pieces are used at the beginning of the game, each with its own designations and capabilities within the limits of the game. Other games such as the classic Snakes and Ladders use only one token to represent the player; while others employ additional pieces as the game progresses. Some games have tokens that are not assigned to a particular player.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Board Games now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Jump?is to bypass another player’s piece. Depending on the game, a jump may involve capturing the game piece of an opponent or simply, bypassing it.

Space?is a physical unit on the board enclosed by a certain border. It is also where a game piece is placed. On most games, tokens are placed in the areas delimited by a grid line (like Chess); while in other games, the tokens are placed on intersection of lines on the grid (Go).

Randomizers?are elements of the game that exist outside the board or the environment, which introduce luck into the game. The most common randomizers are dice and spinners. Cards and tiles are also considered as randomizers.

Markers?are another elements of the game that reside outside the board or the environment. Markers are used to keep track of important details in the game such as the score, quantity, trade and more.

No player elimination?is a characteristic of the game that aims to keep all the players until the end. This is a distinct characteristic of German-style board games. Specific mechanics like scoring at the end of the game or hidden scoring is designed to keep the players at the end of the game.

Hex?is used as a common term to denote the space on a hexagonal-based board game. This is most often used on board wargames although some abstract strategy games such as Abalone use hexagonal layout.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Board games have certain charisma that continuously attract different people of different ages from all walks of life. That is why, even though video games and online games are the latest trends today, board games haven’t lost the touches yet. Here are the things you should consider when buying a board game:

The Age Factor and Game Categories
Age always has to factor in when buying any board game. Not only because it ensures that the game is suitable for the intended players, but also because it guarantees the safety of the players, particularly kids. There are board games designed for preschoolers, younger elementary kids, older elementary kids, teenagers and adults.

Preschoolers ? Chutes and Ladders, Hi Ho! Cherry-O, Boggle Jr., Hullabaloo, Cariboo, Sorry!, Buckaroo, Scrambled Stated of America, Kids on Stage and Mastermind

Younger elementary kids ? Hullabaloo, Cluedo, Blink, Pretty Pretty Princess, Zingo, Tri-Virsity, Apples of Apples

Older elementary kids ? Settlers of Catan, The Game of Life, Risk, Sequence, Zigity, Cityscape, Tripoley, and Scene It

See how much you can learn about Board Games when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Teenagers ? Monopoly, Chess, Earthopoly, Scrabble, Tigris and Euphrates, World of Warcraft, Nexus Ops, Elfenland, Ingneous, Scotland Yard, BattleLore, Apples to Apples, Balderdash and Time’s Up

Adults ? Battle of the Sexes, Guesstures, Loaded Questions, Scene It, Scattegories and Dirty Minds

These are just some of the games that are out in the market today. Board games are also categorized according to genre (German-style game, abstract-strategic game, trivia game, word game, etc.).

Read Reviews
Game reviews are totally unnecessary on classic games such as chess, checkers, monopoly and those games you are totally familiar with. The fact that they are very popular and have lasted for several generations means that these games are good. That’s already given. You can go ahead and buy these games without consulting any game review sites. But if you are planning to buy a particular board game that you haven’t played yet, you need to check reviews. Just like the up and coming movies, you need to see first that they are worth your time and money. Reviews are very helpful in determining whether the game you are about to buy fits your interest.

Price
Prices of board games depend on the title, but it usually ranges from $10 to $50. When considering the price, think of quality and playability. The rule is simple: the game is not worth investing on if it will only be played on a very short time. For example, a game that is designed for kids from 3 to 6 years old should not cost more than $20. Alternately, a game that can be played over and over again, for the years to come, is worth an extra buck.

Compare Prices
Not because a game is already cheap doesn’t mean that it cannot get much cheaper. Shop around. You’ll be surprised how much prices vary from store to store. Look for bargains. Often, stores slash prices of board games that are hard to sell or on certain times of the year.

Buy online
Buying online is perhaps the most convenient way to get a hand on your favorite board game. There are a lot websites that sell hundreds of board game titles. Auction sites like eBay and Yahoo! Auctions offer the same products but. Discount sites provide better alternatives to those who want to get extra savings.

Sometimes it’s tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I’m positive you’ll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Going out as a family is a great idea. But if you choose to stay at home, spend some quality time together and play some board games, consider the following game board choices:

Catch Phrase?is a fun-filled game suited for families of at least 6 members. Players are divided into 2 groups or teams (the total group size is really up to you). The goal is for each player to get his team guess the word or phrase displayed on the disc using just body gestures or any verbal clues. The best thing about this game is that it appeals to all the ages, even for the youngest members of the family.

Boggle?is a fast-paced, exciting and addictive multi-player game that all family members will surely love. Players have to find and form as many words as possible from a 4×4 grid as the sand timer works its way down. The player scores if he or she has found valid word(s) which other players have not able to locate. Longer words score higher.

Balderdash is a word game that doesn’t require players to have a large vocabulary. It can be played by as little as two players but the real fun always comes in numbers. Balderdash is based on the popular parlor game The Dictionary Game, which can turn an ordinary family gathering into a fun-filled laugh-packed event.

Cluedo is an all-time favorite board game that relies in the combination of luck and simple logic. Players will act as guests in a mansion setting board divided into different rooms, whose owner, Dr. Black, has been found murdered. Each player will then attempt to solve the crime using evidences given in the game. This may not be as laugh-packed as other family games, but to those who want to solve some mystery, Cluedo is nothing but perfect.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Board Games. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Candyland is often recommended for families who want to let their kids (as young as 3 years old) participate in the game. Candyland is casually considered as child’s first game as it only requires minimal counting skill and no reading ability.

Apples to Apples is another game that develops the language skills of kids in a fun and entertaining way. Players compete to form the best match with the gamekeeper’s adjective card from their noun card.

Guess Who is, well? a guessing game. It is played by 2 players who try to guess each other’s face card by asking identification questions that are answerable by “yes” or “no”. The game may only be limited to just 2 players but any family can group themselves into two to form opposing teams.

Zingo is easy to play and suitable for families with kids ages 4 to 8. The multi-player game is very similar to bingo. Instead of numbers, each player is given a card with 9 images. The first person to match all 9 images with the mystery tiles wins. The game is fun and creates a lot of excitement to kids.

Finally, the list will not be complete without the all-time favorite board games – Monopoly and Scrabble. It seems like it’s already automatic that when we talk about family board games, these must always be present. The names speak for themselves and there is neither a need for introduction nor for a description.

About the Author
By Suraya – Your main sources and articles. Share your opinion and advice here!

Picking 8 board games among thousands of board games around the world may seem to be a very hard task to accomplish. But if you are going to ask me, here are my choices. You may not agree on some of the games in the list but you have to admit that we share the same interest on most board games. The list includes timeless and relatively new board games, in different game genres (word, abstract, German-style, and more).

Chess
The basics of chess can be learned in a matter of days but this is the kind of game that takes years to master. But no matter how good or how bad you play this game or whether you even know how to play chess or not, your collection will never be complete without this 8×8 game board with 32 game pieces around.

Monopoly
When someone thinks of board games, the word “monopoly” always comes first. This is not a surprise since monopoly is considered to be one of the most successful board games of all time. The real testament of its success lies in figures. Monopoly has sold more than 500 million units since it was first released at the time of the great depression.

Scrabble
This game does not need any words for introduction. The fact that 1 out of every 3 American households has scrabble proves that the game is a masterpiece in all rights. Scrabble, without a doubt, deserves its place in my list.

You can see that there’s practical value in learning more about Board Games. Can you think of ways to apply what’s been covered so far?

Settlers of Catan
The success of Settlers of Catan lies directly on its game design. Played on random board layouts that ensure that every game is different, Settlers of Catan is a multi-faceted game that requires both skill and luck. If building infrastructures and creating civilization are what you like, you have to give this game a try.

Chutes and Ladders
I’m maybe way too old to play this game but Chutes and Ladders has to be on my list. Why? It is fun and brings a lot of memories from my childhood.

Tigris and Euphrates
I don’t know about you but if someone speaks of strategic and tactical board game, this has to be on the top of my list. Set between two clashing dynasties at the dawn of civilization, Tigris and Euphrates is a game that builds skills on managing trade, agriculture, government and religion evenly to become the victor. The game has won first prize in the 1998 Deutscher Spiele Preis. But even then, this game is already a winner for me.

Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is set during the age of the Caribbean ascendancy. The primary aim of the game is to accumulate points by building infrastructures or shipping products (such as corn, sugar, coffee, etc.) to the Old World. Economic management is the key to this game while assuming various roles (settler, builder, mayor, craftsman, etc.) in every round.

Zingo
Once in a while, I want to play light board games like Zingo. This is very similar to bingo which can be played even if your opponents have not yet learned reading and writing.

There are many excellent board games out there that should be on the list but since there are only 8 slots available, I choose all my favorites. That said, what’s your top 8?

Is there really any information about Board Games that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

About the Author
About the Author By Janet Matthews, feel free to visit her site on how to manage Student Loan Debt