Classic board games from around the world

This category introduces these classics one by one. Chess, which travelled from India through Persia to the rest of the world, is a battle of two armies where the goal is to trap the enemy king. Go, from East Asia, is played with black and white stones on a grid, and players try to surround more territory than their opponent. Mancala is a family of sowing games played in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where seeds or stones move around a row of pits. Checkers, dominoes and the pencil game Dots and Boxes complete the list.

For each game we give a clear summary of the rules, a short history when it is well documented, and tips that help beginners avoid common mistakes. These games belong to no company, so you can play them with any set. Several also have a free version on our site: try our stone-sowing game Pebbles or our Boxes game in your browser, with daily challenges and leaderboards.