I always liked board games. There are many different kinds, but some of them are really marvelous. The best have just a good combination of strategy and luck.

I’ve found that the best games usually have very straightforward rules. The phrase “easy to learn but hard to master” can be applied to most of them.

When I was younger, I played Carcassonne a lot. It’s a map-building game with a jaunty theme with a bit more luck involved. Then I played Rumis. It’s a 3d blocks-building game, with a ruleset everyone gets under 2 minutes, but keeps you thinking during the game. It does not have a random element, but the vast amount of combinations makes it impossible to get bored.

Exploding Kittens was a pleasant surprise. With the great amount of fuss around it I was dubious whether the game itself would be any good, but it turned out to be a great game. It involves more luck than strategy, but it’s kitten theme and addictive rules got me. It can be also learned in less than 5 minutes, but will keep you playing for the rest of the evening.

More recently I’m playing Avalon. It’s a game about hidden loyalties and deception. It has an intriguing combination of logic and reading others. It’s a fun game and one of it’s great strengths is that it can be played by a wide range of players.

I’ve played chess many years ago, but I’m yet to have a grasp on it. One of it’s compelling features is that it has no luck element. I might give it another go later.

Playing games is fun and a great social activity. Finding the best one requires some searching, but it well worth it.