Board game tips and ideas
Game night ideas, games for two, offline games for travel, the history behind classic boards and simple strategy you can try tonight.
Best Games for 2 Players on One Phone or Tablet
The best games for 2 players on one phone or tablet: Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Reversi, Mancala and Four in a Row compared, with tips to win.Family Game Night Games: 8 Pass-and-Play Picks
Eight family game night games to play on one phone or tablet: Ludo, Snakes and Ladders, Yacht dice and more, with ages, play times and tips.Best Board Games for Couples (Free on One Phone)
Six board games for couples you can play free on one phone or tablet, with game lengths, tips for evening out a skill gap, and date-night formats to try.Best Board Games for Kids by Age (Free to Play)
Board games for kids by age, from Snakes and Ladders for preschoolers to Mancala and chess for older kids, with what each one teaches. All free to play.7 Best Chess Openings for Beginners (With Simple Plans)
Seven chess openings for beginners, for White and Black, with the first moves, a simple plan and the trap to avoid in each. Practice them free vs the computer.Chess Piece Values: What Each Piece Is Worth
Chess piece values explained: the 1-3-3-5-9 point scale, why the king has no number, bishop vs knight, and how to use the points to judge every trade you make.Fun Games to Play in Class on One Screen (No Logins)
Fun games to play in class on one projector or whiteboard: Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe, Four in a Row and Dots and Boxes as team review games. No logins needed.Dice Games for Family Night: 11 Easy Favorites
The best dice games for family night, from Pig and Shut the Box to Yacht dice and Ludo, with simple rules, ages, player counts and what you need to play.En Passant Explained: Chess's Strangest Rule
En passant explained simply: when a pawn can capture another pawn in passing, the four conditions, worked examples, special cases, and why the rule exists.Games to Play on a Plane Without Wi-Fi
Games to play on a plane with no Wi-Fi: chess, backgammon, Mancala, Reversi and Hangman on one phone, plus tips for playing solo or with your seatmate.Games to Play When Bored: 10 Quick Ideas for Two
Games to play when bored with a friend and one phone: 10 quick picks sorted by time, from one-minute Tic-Tac-Toe to Gomoku, Hangman and Reversi.Fun Games to Play With Friends (No Wi-Fi Needed)
Fun games to play with friends on one phone, sorted by group size: two-player duels, Ludo for four, Chinese Checkers for six, and party ideas.The History of Ludo: From Royal Pachisi to Your Phone
The history of Ludo, from India's cross-shaped Pachisi and its cowrie shells to a Victorian English patent and the phone game families play today.The History of Mancala: An Ancient Counting Game
The history of mancala: what the name means, the oldest evidence in Africa and the Middle East, regional games like Oware and Bao, and how Kalah began.Snakes and Ladders History: From Moksha Patam to Today
Snakes and Ladders history, from India's Moksha Patam and Gyan Chaupar boards of karma and liberation to the Victorian race game children play today.How to Checkmate: 6 Basic Checkmates for Beginners
Learn how to checkmate with simple methods for queen, rook and two-rook endings, plus back-rank, smothered and four-move mates, and how to avoid stalemate.Indoor Games for Kids: No-Prep Rainy Day Ideas
Indoor games for kids with zero prep: active games to burn energy, quiet games for calm time, and board games like Ludo and Snakes and Ladders on one device.Pen and Paper Games: 12 Classics and How to Play
Twelve classic pen and paper games, from Tic-Tac-Toe and Dots and Boxes to Sprouts and Sea Battle, with quick rules, player counts and tips to win.Road Trip Games With No Internet: 15 Offline Ideas
Road trip games that work with no signal: 15 offline ideas for the car, from I Spy and the license plate game to Hangman, Ludo and Yacht dice on one phone.What Is Pass and Play? One-Device Multiplayer Explained
Pass and play games let two or more people share one phone, tablet or computer and take turns. Here's how it works and which games suit it best.