The best board games for adults are not always new. Classic and traditional games such as chess, go, backgammon and mahjong have kept adults thinking, bluffing and laughing for centuries, and they offer more depth than many modern boxes. This list covers strategy games for two, social games for a game night, and dexterity and dice games that work with a mixed crowd.
Each game shows the number of players, the equipment you need and how to play, with links to full rules where we have them. Most sets are inexpensive, and several boards can be drawn on paper if you want to try a game first.
Strategy board games for adults
Chess
Players: 2. You need: A chessboard and 32 pieces.
Each side has a king, queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. Move to attack and defend until you checkmate the opposing king. It remains the ultimate two player strategy board game. See the full chess rules.
Go
Players: 2. You need: A 19 by 19 grid (or 13 by 13 for quicker games) and black and white stones.
Players place stones on the intersections to surround territory. Groups with no empty neighboring points are captured. At the end, the player controlling more territory plus captures wins. The rules take minutes to learn and a lifetime to master.
Backgammon
Players: 2. You need: A board, 15 checkers each, two dice and a doubling cube.
Race your checkers around the board and bear them off while hitting your opponent's single checkers. The doubling cube adds a tense decision about when to raise the stakes in points. See the full backgammon rules.
Checkers (Draughts)
Players: 2. You need: A checkerboard and 12 pieces each.
Capture by jumping diagonally, and captures are compulsory in standard rules. At adult level the game is surprisingly deep, especially the endgame. See the full checkers rules.
Xiangqi (Chinese Chess)
Players: 2. You need: A board of 9 by 10 points with a river, and 16 pieces each.
Pieces sit on the intersections. The general stays in a small palace, elephants cannot cross the river and cannons capture by jumping over exactly one piece. Checkmate the opposing general to win.
Shogi (Japanese Chess)
Players: 2. You need: A 9 by 9 board and 20 pieces each.
Similar in goal to chess, but captured pieces change sides and can be dropped back onto the board as your own. Games are full of sudden attacks and comebacks.
Reversi
Players: 2. You need: An 8 by 8 board and 64 two-colored discs.
Place discs to trap lines of your opponent's discs and flip them. The lead swings wildly, and the player with the most discs at the end wins. Corners are the key squares.
Hnefatafl
Players: 2. You need: An 11 by 11 board, a king, 12 defenders and 24 attackers.
An ancient Norse game. The king starts in the center and tries to escape to a corner square, while the attackers try to surround and capture him. Pieces are captured by being sandwiched between two enemies.
Oware and Mancala
Players: 2. You need: A board of two rows of six pits and 48 seeds.
Sow seeds around the board and capture from your opponent's side. In oware, you capture when your last seed makes a pit on the opponent's side hold two or three seeds. It is pure calculation with no luck. See the full mancala rules.
Game night board games for groups
Mahjong
Players: 4. You need: A set of 144 tiles, or 136 without the flowers and seasons.
Players draw and discard tiles to build a winning hand of four sets and a pair. Sets are three of a kind or a run of three in a suit. It mixes skill, memory and luck, and is a wonderful weekly game for a regular group. See the full mahjong rules.
Chinese Checkers
Players: 2, 3, 4 or 6. You need: A star board and 10 marbles each.
Hop marbles across the board to the opposite triangle. With six adults it becomes a tactical traffic jam where blocking matters as much as speed. See the full chinese checkers rules.
Dominoes
Players: 2 to 8. You need: A double-six or double-twelve set.
Match tiles end to end. Adults often play scoring versions, where you earn points when the open ends add up to a multiple of five, or train versions where everyone builds their own line. See the full dominoes rules.
Carrom
Players: 2 or 4. You need: A carrom board, coins, queen and striker.
Flick the striker to pocket your coins and the queen. Doubles carrom with partners is a classic adult game night in India. See the full carrom rules.
Ludo for Grown-Ups
Players: 2 to 4. You need: A ludo board, dice and tokens.
Ludo is far from just a kids game when adults play for blood. Agree house rules on safe squares and capturing first, then expect loud rivalries. See the full ludo rules.
Business Trading Game
Players: 2 to 6. You need: A trading board game set.
Buy properties, collect rent and make deals with other players. Adults can add strict trading rules and a time limit to keep the game under two hours. See the full business board game rules.
Dexterity and dice board games
Crokinole
Players: 2 or 4. You need: A round crokinole board and 12 discs per side.
Flick discs across the board toward the center hole, which scores 20. Rings score 15, 10 and 5 from the inside out. You must hit an opponent's disc if any are on the board. It is fast, social and very addictive.
Shut the Box
Players: 1 to 6. You need: A shut-the-box board with tiles numbered 1 to 9, and two dice.
Roll the dice and flip down any tiles that add up to the total. Keep rolling until you cannot make the number. Add up the tiles still standing, and the lowest score wins. Shut every tile for an instant win.
Cribbage
Players: 2 to 4. You need: A cribbage board, a standard deck and pegs.
A card game played on a board, where you peg points for fifteens, pairs and runs. It is the traditional pub and kitchen table game for two adults. See the full cribbage rules.
Nine Men's Morris
Players: 2. You need: A morris board and nine counters each.
Place and move counters to form mills of three in a row, and remove one enemy counter for each mill. It is a quick, ancient strategy game that fits in a coffee break.
How to choose a board game for adults
| You want | Try |
|---|---|
| Best 2 player board games | Chess, go, backgammon, shogi, hnefatafl |
| A game night for four | Mahjong, doubles carrom, dominoes, ludo |
| Something light and funny | Crokinole, shut the box, Chinese checkers with six |
| Deep strategy | Go, chess, xiangqi, backgammon |
- Teach with a demo round. Play one open round where everyone can ask questions before the real game.
- Mystery and puzzle fans may enjoy a homemade murder mystery dinner or a puzzle box challenge, described on our party games for adults page.
- Keep a rotation. A regular game night with two or three favorites lets everyone improve together.
Questions people ask
What are the best board games for adults?
Chess, go, backgammon, mahjong and carrom are among the best classic board games for adults. They offer real depth, inexpensive equipment and rules that have stood the test of time. Add crokinole or shut the box for a lighter game night.
What are the best 2 player board games for adults?
Chess, go, backgammon, shogi, xiangqi and reversi are outstanding two player board games. Each can be learned in an evening, yet skilled players keep improving for years.
What are good strategy board games for adults?
Go and chess are the deepest pure strategy games. Backgammon blends strategy with dice, and hnefatafl offers an unusual uneven battle between a king's side and attackers. Oware is excellent for players who love calculation.
What board games are good for an adult game night?
Mahjong works perfectly for four, while dominoes, Chinese checkers and ludo stretch to larger groups. Crokinole and shut the box are great for mixed groups who want something quick and social.
What board games are popular with adults in India?
Carrom, chess, ludo, the business trading game and snakes and ladders are hugely popular with adults in India. Doubles carrom and family ludo are especially common at festivals and holiday gatherings.