Good friends, great games and a little healthy competition. Nowhere else to be, and nowhere else we'd rather be. Here's how to host a board games night that everyone will want to stay late for.
Some of the best evenings happen around a table. Phones face down, all eyes on the game. Someone's keeping score, someone's questioning the rules, and that one friend is insisting on another round despite having the earliest alarm tomorrow. Board games have a way of making us forget the time. The schedules, to-do lists and deadlines can wait. In a world where so much competes for our attention, there's something lovely about an evening that asks us to be in the room, wholeheartedly.
Whether you're gathering your most competitive friends or introducing a few newcomers to the joys of analogue play, here's how to host a games night worth staying in for.
Why are board games making a comeback?
Maybe it's the pleasure of putting our phones down, or the simple satisfaction of a reason to get together and connect. Board games offer something we don't always make time for – a few hours of being completely present. There's no need for a special occasion. Just a table, a few friends and a really good game worth gathering around – more on that later. With a chessboard, deck of cards or whatever game is your favourite, the conversation handily takes care of itself. Plus, a little friendly rivalry famously never hurt anyone.
From familiar rituals and childhood memories to games that get everyone talking, our new collection is made for evenings just like these. Beautiful games to bring out after dinner, take on holiday or leave on the coffee table, because they're far too good-looking for the back of a cupboard.
How do you host a board games night?
You'll be pleased to hear, the best games nights don't need much planning. A few good games, something to snack on, people you can happily win against and reluctantly lose to, plus enough time to play without watching the clock.
Start by choosing your games, then think about who you'll invite around the table. Make sure there's somewhere comfortable for everyone to sit, with enough room for cards, dice and the occasional overly dramatic gesture from that one guest who takes games night a little too seriously. Once the games are chosen, put on a playlist, pour something nice and keep the sharing plates within easy reach. Forget the schedule, there's plenty of time for that on Monday. This is your moment to be offline and the best nights have a habit of running late.
How many people should you invite to a board game night?
Four to six people is a good starting point for a board game night, but there really are no rules – other than the obvious! Enough for a little lively competition, without spending half the evening explaining how to play for the twentieth time.
Let the guest list lead, then choose a game to suit. Chess or backgammon is perfect for two, while team-based games can bring a bigger group together – the more the merrier! The Guessing Game is one to bring out when everyone's around, and likely to get more lively as the hours go by and the empty bottles stack up. Made for literary lovers, it challenges teams to describe iconic figures from fiction without saying their names. Expect some questionable clues and plenty of shouting across the table.
Hosting a smaller gathering or an at-home date night?
A game of backgammon makes a cosy after-dinner ritual. All's fair in love and backgammon, after all. When it comes to invites, start with a date and time. Go one better than a message in the group chat and scribble an invite on paper or choose an invitation that works with your theme. Something like Dinner at mine? Bring your competitive side sets the tone. The only house rule for those invited: BYOP (that's Bring Your Own Pen).
What are the best games for a board game night?
The best board games for a games night depend on who's coming, and how many of them. Choose a mix of familiar classics and something new, with a balance of quick rounds, friendly rivalry and slower games that reward a little patience.
Chess
For the friend who always thinks three moves ahead. It's a classic for two players, and a beautiful addition to your coffee table between games.
Backgammon
For date nights and a little after-dinner competition. Our version folds into its own chocolate-brown and baby-blue polka-dot case, ready to take wherever the evening leads.
For familiar faces and familiar games. Featuring pearlescent brown tiles with pink clover-shaped pips to give this much-loved classic a new look.
Yatzy
For anyone who loves a little luck. Roll the dice, keep score and try not to blame your losses on either.
Playing cards
For the games you learned around the kitchen table, and the friend who insists their nan taught them all the tricks.
The guessing game
For book lovers, quick thinkers and teams who aren't afraid to get a little loud.
You don't need to play them all. Choose the games that suit your guests and let the evening find its own rhythm.
How many games do you need for a board games night?
Two or three games are usually plenty for one evening. Start with something easy to learn, keep a second game ready for a change of pace and have a familiar favourite on hand if everyone wants another round. You might begin with dominoes or playing cards while people arrive, then move on to Yatzy or The Guessing Game once everyone's settled in.
The trick is not to plan every minute. Sometimes the first game is still going when you realise nobody's touched dessert yet.
How do you make a board game night feel cosy and special?
A good games night starts with the atmosphere. Think soft lighting, a favourite playlist, something seasonal to eat and drink – from a summer BBQ to a cosy Christmas cheese board. Make space on the table, pull up another chair and give everyone somewhere to settle in. The details don't need to be elaborate, simply adding handwritten place cards and notebooks for recording scores makes all the difference. If you're feeling generous, personalise one for each guest and ask them to bring it along next time, too!
Our games are designed to be part of the setting. From beautifully crafted wooden chessboards to keepsake boxes of dominoes, each looks just as good between games as it does in the middle of one. A good games night doesn't need to be a perfectly styled evening, just curate a space where people want to play a little and stay a while.
The long game
A good games night doesn't need a winning formula, just a little space set aside for the people you love spending it with. Take your time, take your turn. Keep score or lose track of it completely. Win graciously, lose happily. Your move.
