Board games

But this is hardly the case. Board games can be tons of fun and a great way to truly reconnect with friends and family. They are also the perfect way to unwind and unplug from the busy world. 

Chess
The classic. If your chessboard is gathering dust because you think it is too boring, dust it off and be ready to be pleasantly surprised. What sets chess apart from other games is that it relies on pure logic and not luck or strength. Think before you move, plan ahead and get yourself in a position to win. That final checkmate will make you extremely happy and even if you do not win, you can give a pat on your own back for time well spent. 

Monopoly
This fast-trading property games is another classic. Build houses and hotels and see if you can bankrupt everyone else. You never know when the roll of the dice will land you with a massive rent to pay, so keep an eye on that colourful bundle of money. In fact, after you have prepared your properties to make money, jail may be the safest place to be! This wonderful game will make you lose track of time.

Settlers of Catan 
Settlers of Catan is a highly rated board game and has won several awards. Each player starts the game with two roads and settlements on the board. On each player's turn, different resources, such as brick, wool, ore, grain, or lumber will be produced to help the settlers build new roads, settlements and even cities on the board. New settlements will be erected and new resource gained, as the players build more roads across the island. This earns the player victory points. Play continues until one player gains 10 victory points and wins the game. This strategic game about area control, resource management and negotiation 

is sure to keep you entertained for hours. 

Risk 
The classic World Domination Risk, is a game of military strategy in which the player is battling to conquer the world. To earn victory, the player must, simply, take risks; launch daring attacks, defend himself or herself on all fronts and move across vast continents with boldness and cunning. But the player must remember that the dangers balance the lavish rewards; just when the world seems to be within your grasp, an opponent may take it all away with one strike! 

Cluedo 
This game is set in a mansion where each player represents a character who is a guest staying in it. The owner of the mansion Dr. Black (Mr Boddy in the Canadian and U.S. version) has been murdered. It is up to the players to crack the mystery. They take on the role of suspects and investigate the mansion in an attempt to solve the murder. The main aim is to figure out the three main facts of a murder: the murderer, the location of the murder and the murder weapon. Cluedo is a board game that brings everyone together. Before long, the allure of solving the mystery will have everyone at the table with their detective hats on for another round. 

Scrabble
Even though this game has not really had any upgrades in the last fifty years, it still has a near-cult following. This challenging game of spelling, strategy and skill does wonders for your vocabulary. It takes a little luck and a lot of skill to make high-scoring words out of seven little letters; especially when they look like they could not form a word even if your life depended on it. This game has strict rules (no names or slang) and it is always wise to consult a dictionary first to avoid any ugly word disputes. 

Ticket to Ride
In Ticket to Ride, the objective is to see the most cities of North America – in just seven days. It is a cross-country train adventure game where each player attempts to build the most well rounded network of railroads by connecting various cities together by collecting train cards. The longer the routes, the more points the players earn. There are additional points for those who can fulfil Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway. This fast-paced, engaging and easy-to-learn game will ensure that everyone has a good time. 

Sorry! 
This is a classic game which relies on luck, strategy and determination. Players move their game pieces around the board in order to get all of them from Start to Home; the final destination. But that's not it! Sorry is the game of "sweet revenge"; players can send each other's pawns back to the starting line, forcing their opponents to lose ground and start all over again. This game quickly has players chasing one another around the game board. It's not a game for the faint-hearted, as you will never know what the next card will hold. You can move forward or backward. You can hit slide and speed ahead of the others or an opponent can bump you back to Start with a smug "Sorry!" It's a race (and often a chase!) and it is only over when someone gets all their pawns safely to Home. 

By Maisha Rumelia Rahman
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed