Alternative Board Games You Should Play If You Like Chess

We often use chess to improve our decision and strategy-making skills and to hone our mental reasoning ability.

It does not take long to learn the rules of chess, but it may take a lifetime to become a chess master. If you wish to excel in this game, you have to do more than memorizing the basic tips and tricks. You have to work on how you think, strategize, and anticipate the moves of your opponent. If you are fond of playing such strategic and challenging games, below are some alternative board games you should try.

Weiqi or Go

Almost 4000 years old, Weiqi is also known as Go — it has its origin in East Asia — and is believed to be the first board game the world has ever seen. Go is widely played in China, Korea, and Japan. During the Heian period, this game gained immense popularity in Japan and rose to greater prominence with the ascent of the Samurai class. This strategy game requires two players who are pitted against each other, and the player who captures the most space on the board wins the match.

Onitama

The game board may look ancient because it employs a vintage aesthetic, but it was launched in 2014. The board looks simple, and it comes with squares and figurines — features that are similar to a traditional chess board. Players have to pick cards to find out their powers and strategize their possible moves. The player who succeeds at seizing their opponent's primary pawn wins the game.

Shogi

The Japanese counterpart of xiangqi — the traditional Chinese game — Shogi is an interesting yet complex strategy game. It is a lot like chess, designed for two players, and each takes turns to mobilize their troops in battle, aiming to capture the opponent’s king. Some of the pieces of Shogi are almost identical to chess, while others are totally different.

Azul

This strategy game requires two players, but Azul’s board looks more appealing than that of an average chessboard. This interesting tile game calls for players to compete against each other to create the most stunning mosaic. The design of the board is based on a specific kind of unique medieval ceramic tile art known as azulejos. From an artistic viewpoint, Azul is a spectacular game.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a cut-throat board game and is played like any other strategy game. Players have to compete to gain control over resources and combat for survival. Players need to carefully strategize their seeding and growing plans for optimal cultivation and also sabotage and frustrate their competitors.

If chess makes you yawn, time to give these alternate board games a try!