Want to play Cockroach Poker?

This festive season, Mumbaikars are opting for board games over taash at Diwali parties, which in turn is prompting meet-up groups to host more gatherings

For Kadambari Gupte, board games are how she spends time with her six-year-old son. Every other day, the two are found head down over a game of ludo, snakes and ladders, and more recently, chess. 

Gupte introduced her son to board gaming quite early as the hobby helps with thinking ability, improves logic and reasoning, and increases focus in children. A review titled The Effectiveness of Intervention with Board Games found that traditional board games such as chess, checkers, and the game of Go enhance working memory, attention, and global executive abilities. “To be honest, it’s better than watching TV or increasing screen time,” says Gupte, “Board games also increase conversation as it’s a family or friends bonding activity.”

The socialising aspect of board games is what prompted Ronak Chitalia to launch the Bombay Board Game Club. As the CEO and co-founder of the club, he wanted to create a space for board game enthusiasts to spend time exploring different games and socialise. He anticipated that he would see college students walk in. Instead, he was met with a completely different crowd. “Five to six years ago, we thought this was a young people’s hobby. But six months after we opened, we saw several veteran board gamers. These were people in their 40s and 50s, some were army generals, business persons, and others. They began approaching us and asked what more were doing, and what games “we” were playing. For us, it was a discovery,” he says and adds that the 35 to 50-year-olds have now become his most valued customers. The Bombay Board Game Club is now a 5,000-member community that’s connected on WhatsApp alone. Chitalia says other social media platforms bring in more members, besides there are also novices that walk in and try out a few games. 

It makes one realise that board games are extremely inclusive. Whatever the age group, there are games that everyone can come together for. This is primarily because there are a variety of games suitable for different age groups, group sizes, moods, and skill levels. For large groups, Saboteur, Cockroach Poker, Heckmeck, Bohnanza, and Cartographers are suitable games. Those who want a food-forward game can play Sushi Go Party or Masala Lab; for groups that love to discuss and play, there are party games like One Night Werewolf, Two Rooms and a Boom, and several others. “The variety of themes and plays available is endless. Card games like Taash or Teen Patti have limited gameplay, board games can be quite different as you are playing with a board, card decks, tokens, or pieces. Take a game like Bohnanza, it matters how you hold your cards, whether your card is facing downward, upward, front or back. The gameplay changes as per that. There’s more variety and more freedom to the play. Then some games require deep thinking, some others that don’t need much thought,” says Harshal Modi, an avid board gamer who also organises private board game meet-ups.

The million board games available in the market are also the reason why more and more people are opting to play them over traditional card games. At the Bombay Board Game Club, there are special Diwali meet-ups all through the week leading up to Diwali. Chitalia says that this is usually the season when people have more time to come and explore the hobby or spend time playing a game that would go on for over five to six hours. At their 1,200 sq. ft space in Vile Parle, the club will be hosting ‘Newbie Meet-Ups’ which attract new members. Seeing the surge in board gaming, Chitalia is looking to expand his club to other parts of Mumbai and across other cities including Bengaluru and Delhi. “We are looking for investors, and if all works well, soon we will have larger space, more board games [at present, they have 500, including some that are not otherwise available in India], and more branches of the club.”

But Diwali is also the season for board game retreats which sees couples who sign up for a getaway that includes board gaming. Modi, who sticks to his private meet-ups during Diwali says, “At our weekly meet-ups, we usually stick to smaller games because you have to go to work the next day. During Diwali, we utilise the time and play more in-depth games. It’s also when more people show up for the meet-up. On average, during the week, we see ten to 15 people come to play. But during a holiday, over 20-25 board gamers come by including people who want to try board games for the first time. So, we can play games like Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC) which requires a discussion and such a large group can easily play.” For Gupte, who now mostly socialises with board games in tow, Diwali means that her family and friends can all play together. “Games have been a tradition for me, they bring back memories of my childhood, I even travel with a few board games always, and now they are a bigger part of life because I play with my son. So, my Diwali party usually means a game night where my parents, relatives, and friends can play a game together. Everyone’s included.”

Thematic games to play this Diwali

Gamer Harshal Modi suggests board games that are not exactly themed around Diwali, but are evocative of 
the festival and its practices.

Lanterns: The Harvest Festival
A tile-placement board game and app where players arrange lanterns on a ceremonial lake in imperial China to earn honour and win.

Hanabi 
A cooperative game where players try to create the perfect fireworks show by placing the cards on the table in the right order.

Athangudi: Artisans of Chettinad
A light strategy family game where you play the role of a master artisan who has to lay the floor of a Chettinad Mansion using Athangudi tiles.

Before The Guests Arrive
A light set-collection game built around two simple rules: collect cards and tidy up. It has easy rules and a short playtime.

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