Hosting a evening at home looks simple until the doorbell rings and you realise the dice are missing. This game night checklist covers twelve things, in the order you will need them, so that your first game starts on time and your guests relax. The advice is for an in-person evening, with notes on where an online table can help if somebody cannot come.
Two weeks before
- Pick the date and tell people early. Game nights are rarely cancelled for lack of interest, but often for a clash of dates.
- Decide the size. Four to six is comfortable for most board games; eight is a party.
One week before
- Choose two or three games, not ten. Pick one for beginners, one for competitors and one for laughs.
- Check the pieces. A missing die ruins an evening. Count them.
- Ask about dietary needs. Food is the second thing guests remember.
The day before
- Learn the rules yourself. A host who is reading the manual while guests wait loses the room.
- Plan the seating. Put the quiet guests next to the talkative ones.
On the day
- Clear the table and set out the games, snacks and drinks.
- Put your phone on silent.
- Prepare a one-sentence explanation of each game.
When guests arrive
- Start with a short warm-up, such as a quiz or a quick card game.
- Start the main game within thirty minutes of the first arrival.
What about guests who cannot come?
Bring them in by video. A table of friends in different places can join a free online table and play with the people at your home. Games with fixed seat limits are easy to plan around: a quiz seats up to eight, a drawing game up to twelve, and a snakes game up to eight. The people on the call can be one seat or several.
What about children at a game night?
Children are the strongest judges of a game. Give them the first turn, a shorter version of the rules and a role if they lose interest, such as scorekeeper or card dealer. If a game runs too long for them, let them leave the table without fuss and rejoin for the next one. A table that welcomes children tends to be warmer for the adults too. Plan an early game they can win: a race with dice or a quiz with easy questions is ideal.
How should the evening end?
Stop while the energy is still up. Read the scores, name the player of the night and fix the date of the next one before anyone leaves. A evening that ends early leaves guests wanting more; one that drags leaves them tired.
Which games suit a first night?
A quiz, a drawing game and Snakes and Ladders are easy to learn and need no practice. For a more competitive group, add Ludo or a property trading game and set a round limit.
What if the group does not click?
Change the game. A group that is flat with one game may come alive with another. Keep a spare in your pocket, such as twenty questions, and nobody will notice you changing tack.
Where can you find a free online table?
Board It is a free site with six games, including online board games and party games online, for the guests who cannot make it. It runs in a browser and needs no download, so a missing friend is a link away.
A final thought
A good host is a quiet host. Set things up, start the game and let the guests do the talking.
Ahmed Moaz builds Boardit, a free browser game site.