Board Games Cheatsheet

Core Concepts

Game Mechanics

Worker Placement: Players place limited ‘workers’ on spaces to perform actions.

Example: Agricola, Lords of Waterdeep

Deck Building: Players start with a basic deck and acquire cards to improve it.

Example: Dominion, Star Realms

Area Control: Players compete to control territory on the board.

Example: Risk, El Grande

Engine Building: Players create a system that generates resources or points more efficiently over time.

Example: Terraforming Mars, Splendor

Dice Rolling: Using dice to determine outcomes or actions.

Example: Yahtzee, King of Tokyo

Hand Management: Efficiently using and optimizing the cards in your hand.

Example: 7 Wonders, Race for the Galaxy

Game Phases

Setup Phase	Preparing the game components and initial board state.
Action Phase	Players take turns performing actions according to the game rules.
Resolution Phase	Resolving the effects of actions taken during the Action Phase.
Cleanup Phase	Preparing the board for the next round or turn.
End Game	Conditions that trigger the end of the game and the final scoring.

Player Interaction

Direct Conflict: Players directly attack or hinder each other.

Example: War of the Ring

Indirect Conflict: Players compete for limited resources or opportunities.

Example: Terra Mystica

Cooperative: Players work together to achieve a common goal.

Example: Pandemic

Solo: A single player attempts to achieve the game’s objective.

Example: Friday

Strategy & Tactics

General Strategies

Early Game: Focus on establishing a foundation and securing essential resources.

Mid Game: Transition to developing your engine or expanding your influence.

Late Game: Optimize your strategy to maximize points or achieve victory conditions.

Risk Assessment: Evaluate the potential risks and rewards of each action.

Adaptability: Be prepared to adjust your strategy based on the actions of other players and unforeseen events.

Common Tactics

Blocking	Preventing opponents from accessing key resources or spaces.
Resource Denial	Depriving opponents of essential resources.
Tempo Control	Dictating the pace of the game to your advantage.
Information Gathering	Collecting information about opponents’ strategies and resources.
Diversification	Spreading your resources and efforts across multiple areas.
Specialization	Focusing your resources and efforts on a specific area to gain a competitive edge.

Advanced Strategies

Metagaming: Understanding and anticipating common strategies used within a specific game or gaming group.

Bluffing: Deceiving opponents about your intentions or resources.

Synergy: Creating combinations of cards or abilities that amplify their effectiveness.

Kingmaking: Unintentionally or intentionally influencing the outcome of the game by helping another player win.

Terminology

Common Terms

AP (Analysis Paralysis)	Overthinking a decision, leading to excessive delays.
Alpha Gamer	A player who dominates decision-making in cooperative games.
BGG (BoardGameGeek)	A popular online board game community and database.
Eurogame	A style of board game emphasizing strategy and resource management over direct conflict.
Ameritrash	A style of board game emphasizing theme, player interaction, and luck over pure strategy.
LGS (Local Game Store)	A retail store specializing in board games, card games, and related hobby products.

Card Game Terms

Drafting	Selecting cards from a shared pool.
Mulligan	Redrawing a hand of cards at the start of the game.
Stacking	Arranging cards in a specific order to gain an advantage.
Combo	A sequence of cards played together to achieve a powerful effect.
Discard Pile	Where the used cards are placed.

Advanced Terminology

Tableau Building: Creating a persistent set of cards or components that provide ongoing benefits.

Push Your Luck: Deciding whether to continue an action with the risk of losing progress.

Set Collection: Gathering specific sets of cards or components to score points.

Legacy Game: A game that changes permanently over multiple play sessions.

Game Examples

Classic Games

Chess: A two-player strategy game involving the manipulation of pieces on a checkered board.

Checkers: A two-player strategy game involving diagonal moves and capturing opponent’s pieces.

Backgammon: A two-player game involving moving pieces around a board based on dice rolls.

Monopoly: A multi-player game focused on real estate acquisition and development.

Modern Board Games

Catan	A resource management and trading game.
Ticket to Ride	A train route building game.
Pandemic	A cooperative game about curing diseases.
Gloomhaven	A cooperative dungeon-crawling campaign game.
Terraforming Mars	A game about making Mars habitable.

Card Games Examples

Magic: The Gathering: A collectible trading card game with complex rules and strategies.

Pokémon Trading Card Game: A collectible card game based on the popular Pokémon franchise.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game: A collectible card game involving duels with monsters, spells, and traps.

Dominion: A deck-building card game where players build their kingdom.

Browse / Board Games Cheatsheet

Board Games Cheatsheet

Board Games Cheatsheet

Core Concepts

Game Mechanics

Game Phases

Player Interaction

Strategy & Tactics

General Strategies

Common Tactics

Advanced Strategies

Terminology

Common Terms

Card Game Terms

Advanced Terminology

Game Examples

Classic Games

Modern Board Games

Card Games Examples