Classic Board Games

In this category, you will find all the good old board games that never go out of style. These classic board games persist for a reason – a well-functioning rule set, simple mechanics, and solid components all contribute to maintaining the popularity of these games. Classic favorites include chess, dominoes, and backgammon.

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There are some games that have simply proven to stand the test of time. Whether it's the genius of the simple game designs, sheer tradition, or the joy of recognition, these games are here to stay. The games on this page hardly need any major introduction, which is nice because it means you can almost always just bring out the game and start playing immediately, no matter who your opponents are. Here, we mention just some of the favorites.

Popular Classic Board Games

Chess
The ultimate strategy game! With over 1000 years of history, chess remains one of the world's most popular games. Books, dissertations, and guides have been written about it. And not without reason. In all its simplicity, the game is still overwhelmingly complex, as there are incredibly many ways the pieces can be played. At the same time, chess is a game of complete information. This means that everything that happens is visible to both players. Thus, the outcome of the game is determined by the players' knowledge and skills, and not by chance. The goal in chess is to checkmate the opponent's king, which means it is in a situation where it cannot avoid being attacked on the opponent's next turn. Chess can be played at home, in chess clubs, and even school chess has also become popular in recent times.

Backgammon
One of the world's oldest known board games, dating back over 5000 years. In this game, two players try to be the first to get all their pieces to the goal. Players move their pieces in opposite directions around the board. But be careful not to leave pieces alone, as they can then be knocked home by the opponent. The game uses dice to determine how far one may move the pieces, but it takes more than luck to win, as there is a lot of strategy in assessing what are the most optimal moves.

Kalaha
Yet another ancient game, however, was "reinvented" in 1940 by the American William Julius Champion Jr. The game board in Kalaha has 12 playing fields and 2 goal fields. At the start of the game, 6 balls are placed in each playing field. Then players take turns taking all the balls from one of their fields and placing one in each of the subsequent fields clockwise. One places a ball in one's own goal field, but skips the opponent's. The goal of the game is to have the most balls in one's goal field when the game ends.

Monopoly
Good old Monopoly. In both games, players must buy, rent out, and sell properties, and not least develop them by building houses and hotels. Players charge each other rent, with the aim of bankrupting the other players. One of the game's highlights is when a player refuses to buy a property. This triggers an auction, which can get wild if the other players are desperate to own the property. Monopoly has been printed in countless special editions, but here you find the classic version.

Rummikub

Rummikub is a family game where you really need to keep your overview and combination skills sharp.

Rummikub is one of the most beloved family games worldwide, and since its release in the 1940s, it has won a host of awards. In 2019, Rummikub won the award for best family and educational game at the Imagination Gaming Family and Education Game Awards 2019 conference.