Board games this pandemic

[Sugarrynad]

"The runaway success of Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" has spawned an explosion in the popularity of chess across the country.

And yet for millions of people in the United States who are largely isolated because of COVID-19, this is not news, as board games have been a constant lifeline in the months since the start of the pandemic.

Beyond the stalwart Monopoly and Scrabble board game options, modern players are turning to more contemporary classics like Catan, Ticket to Ride and the rather appropriately themed Pandemic. These new games are often heavily themed and complex, and can take hours to play."

So how about you guys? Aside from playing Civ, were you greatly influenced by "The Queen's Gambit" to playing chess or any board games, or you've been playing with it since ages ago? And did it help you go through this pandemic as flat as a pancake?

[Jon Miller]

I had intended to get back into board gaming but haven't due to the pandemic.

I have played Dominion, Chess, Ticket to Ride, Dominoes and a couple other games with my daughter and Chess (outdoors) with some neighbors.

JM

[Broken_Erika]

I've been tempted to pick up the Axis and Allies games

[BeBMan]

I haven't done a chess match for ages...would probably play like a n00b now...

[ColdWizard]

I've been playing Eldritch Horror with the remnants of my D&D group that are willing and able to meet up in these trying times. It's complicated and a bit of a pain in the ass, but entertaining overall. I'd rather be playing 7 Wonders or something but maybe we'll do that later.

[N35t0r]

We occasionally get together with friends via zoom to play an online Catan clone (colonist.io).

Before I moved to Germany, we would get together and play other boardgames/card games (actual Catan, ticket to ride, power grid, bunny kingdom, terraforming mars, munchkin in various flavours, or Arkham horror and Robinson Crusoe if we're feeling like getting our ass handed to us, and some others i forgot); even after the pandemic hit (although due to restrictions, feb-sep 2020 we couldn't).

Now pretty much all of my boardgames are in storage back home, but we've picked up Azul and play occasionally with my wife and some friends.

[Sugarrynad]

Chess is a great board game tbh! I play chess because this is one of the games I have complete control of. If I win this is because I played better (at least made fewer blunders) than my opponent, when I lose this is only my fault. No dice, no card shuffling, no luck - pure brain competition without any randomness. I can find my errors in the analysis.

When playing another game with the same opening I can make a better move and improve the result. Just gotta have to know the sequence.

[One2Tfourth]

I usually play chess before and after watching the Queen's Gambit I was again playing chess. But also played Catan, ticket to ride and codenames

[N35t0r]

Incidentally, the Essen game fair will be held this year (barring the breakout of a new, more virulent, variant I guess).

I'll be going Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That will be exciting.

[Dinner]

I had intended to get back into board gaming but haven't due to the pandemic.

I have played Dominion, Chess, Ticket to Ride, Dominoes and a couple other games with my daughter and Chess (outdoors) with some neighbors.

JM

Play Diplomacy online.

[Thoth]

These new games are often heavily themed and complex, and can take hours to play."

The author has obviously never played any of Avalon Hill's old strategy games......which could take hours to set up.

[BeBMan]

I'm beginning to feel a tad uncomfortable by "this pandemic" in the title. Once per century is more than enough, so I hope we don't see any more in our lifetimes....

Just sayin'.