Board games books
Board games books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
The Oxford History of Board Games
David Sidney ParlettA broad, readable history of games from ancient to modern, organized by game family, and a common first reference.
A Gamut of Games
Sid SacksonA collection of rules and essays on game types and design by a prolific inventor and collector, widely read by later designers.
It's All a Game
Tristan DonovanA popular history of games and play across eras, useful for context on how games reached mass audiences.
Building Blocks of Tabletop Game Design
Geoffrey EngelsteinA practical guide to mechanics and components for people designing their own games.
A History of Board-games Other Than Chess
H. J. R. MurrayAn early, scholarly survey of non-chess board games, still cited for its range of sources.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
More board games books
- Board and Table Games from Many Civilizations
Board and Table Games from Many CivilizationsR. C. Bell - Korean Games
Korean GamesStewart Culin - Passing Through the NetherworldPassing Through the NetherworldTimothy Kendall
- Games of the Gods
Games of the GodsNigel Pennick - Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual
Dvoretsky's Endgame ManualMark Dvoretsky - The Encyclopedia of Games
The Encyclopedia of GamesBarb Whiter - Seven Games
Seven GamesOliver Roeder - The Soviet Chess Primer
The Soviet Chess PrimerIlya Maizelis2014 - Chess for dummies
Chess for dummiesJames Eade1996 - Apocalypse
ApocalypseJervis Johnson2012 - Tau empire
Tau empireJeremy Vetock2012 - A board game education
A board game educationJeffrey P. Hinebaugh2009