Comprehensive Board Game Glossary (with links).
Whether you’re a casual player or a seasoned gamer, understanding the rich terminology of board gaming can truly enhance your experience. From strategy and mechanics to player dynamics and gaming culture, our ultimate board game glossary covers the essential terms you need to know. Dive into definitions with examples, and explore the core language that shapes the world of tabletop games.
A
- Abstract
Defines games emphasizing strategy over thematic elements.
Wikipedia: Abstract strategy game
BoardGameGeek Glossary - Alpha Player
A dominant player who leads or dictates play, particularly in cooperative games.
BoardGameGeek Forum Discussion - Ameritrash
American-style games heavy on theme, conflict, and luck.
BoardGameGeek: Ameritrash - Analysis Paralysis (AP)
Excessive overthinking causing game slowdowns.
BoardGameGeek: AP - Area Control Game
Game genre where players vie to control areas on a board.
Wikipedia: Area control game - Auction Game
Games based on bidding mechanics.
BoardGameGeek: Auction
B
- Balance
Ensuring fair play chances and game stability.
BoardGameGeek: Balance - Beer & Pretzels Game
Casual, often silly games heavy on randomness.
BoardGameGeek: Beer & Pretzels - Blind Bid
Secret bidding mechanic with simultaneous offers.
BoardGameGeek: Blind Bid - Block Wargame
Wargame featuring block units with hidden information.
Wikipedia: Block wargame
C
- Card Drafting
Players select cards from a limited visible set.
BoardGameGeek: Card Drafting - CCG (Collectible Card Game)
Games with collectible card decks, e.g., Magic: The Gathering.
Wikipedia: Collectible card game - Cooperative Game
Players team against game system, not each other.
Wikipedia: Cooperative board game - Chrome
Added thematic elements not essential to game mechanics.
BoardGameGeek Glossary – Chrome
D
- Deck Building Game
Players construct personal decks during play.
Wikipedia: Deck-building game - Dexterity Game
Games relying on physical skill.
BoardGameGeek: Dexterity game - Dice Drafting
Selecting dice from a common pool in the drafting phase.
BoardGameGeek: Dice Drafting - Dungeon Crawl
Game scenarios focusing on exploration and combat in labyrinths.
BoardGameGeek: Dungeon Crawl
E
- Economic Game
Games simulating economic activities and resource management.
BoardGameGeek: Economic game - Expansion
Add-on content to base games.
BoardGameGeek: Expansion - Eurogame
Strategy games with indirect conflict and economic focus.
Wikipedia: European board game
F
- Family Game
Games suitable for a broad age range, usually easy-to-learn.
BoardGameGeek: Family game - Fiddly
Games/components requiring excessive manipulation.
BoardGameGeek: Fiddly
G
- Gateway Game
Easy games to introduce players to the hobby.
BoardGameGeek: Gateway game - Grognard
Hardcore wargamer or deeply dedicated player.
BoardGameGeek: Grognard - Games Haven
Taletp Gaming and Boardgame Venue and Store
Games Haven UK
H
- Heavy
Games with complex mechanics and long playtimes.
BoardGameGeek: Heavy game - Hex
A six-sided tile used for maps in many games.
Wikipedia: Hexagonal tiling
I
- IRL
In real life, referring to face-to-face play.
Urban Dictionary: IRL
J
- JASE
Pejorative for uninspired or derivative Eurogames.
K
- Kingmaker
Player who can decide winner despite no chance of winning themselves.
BoardGameGeek: Kingmaker
L
- Legacy Game
Games with permanently changing elements over campaign play.
BoardGameGeek: Legacy game - Light
Games with simple rules and quick playtime.
BoardGameGeek: Light game
M
- Maj ority Control Game
Games where controlling the majority of items or area scores.
BoardGameGeek: Area control - Meeple
Stylized wooden playing pieces.
BoardGameGeek: Meeple
N
- Negotiation Game
Games focused on trading and diplomacy.
BoardGameGeek: Negotiation game - Newbie
New or inexperienced player.
O
- OP (Overpowered)
Elements giving an unfair advantage. - Operational
Wargame scale larger than tactical but smaller than strategic.
P
- Party Game
Socially-oriented games for larger groups.
BoardGameGeek: Party game - Pie Rule
Balancing method in two-player games.
FairPlay: Pie Rule - Player Interaction
Degree players affect each other’s gameplay.
BoardGameGeek: Player interaction - Player Elimination
Mechanic that removes players before game end.
Q
- Quarterbacking
Synonymous with Alpha player.
R
- Race Game
Games based on reaching a goal first.
BoardGameGeek: Race game - Roll-and-Move
Mechanic wherein players move pieces based on dice rolls.
BoardGameGeek: Roll and move - RPG (Role-playing game)
Games where players act roles guided by a GM.
Wikipedia: Role-playing game
S
- Scenario
Set of initial game conditions.
BoardGameGeek: Scenario - Secret Unit Deployment
Placing units hidden from opponents. - Set-Up
Initial preparation phase. - Solo Game
Game for a single player.
T
- Tableau
Area where players place cards/items to build combinations.
BoardGameGeek: Tableau - Tactics
Short term decisions. - Tile Laying Game
Games primarily involving placement of tiles.
BoardGameGeek: Tile laying - Trick Taking Game
Card games where trick winner takes collected cards.
U
- Underdeveloped
Insufficiently connected or incomplete mechanisms.
V
- Variant
Optional or modified rules/forms of a game. - Victory Conditions
Requirements to win a game. - Victory Points (VP)
Points scored towards winning.
BoardGameGeek: Victory point
W
- Wagering
Betting mechanic. - Wargame
Strategic games simulating military conflict.
Wikipedia: Wargame - Worker Placement
Players assign workers to actions, exclusive occupancy.
BoardGameGeek: Worker placement - WIP
Work In Progress. Often related to developing games or components.
BoardGameGeek: Work In Progress
Z
- Zero-sum
Game where all gains equal losses.
Wikipedia: Zero-sum game - ZoC (Zone of Control)
Area around units affecting movement and supply, common in wargames.
BoardGameGeek: Zone of Control - Zugzwang
Situation where any move worsens position (from chess).
Wikipedia: Zugzwang
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