Board Game Arena

What's not to love about Koryo!
Great, quick, interactive 2 player game, one of my favorites because it is also so easy to play. The luck factor is only really prominent in the last couple of rounds but you can play to avoid that.

This game was fairly one-sided. Keep your position strong, don't blink, think logically and have a plan!

Kahuna is really nice. This is a bit more serious in the competitive nature. Full on interactive strategy, what's not to like?

I lost....Shame, hang my head, sigh and cuss, kick the dog.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30945982

Another really cool idea, I feel permanently tense when I'm playing this game. It works 2,3 or multiplayer. I think I prefer 2 player, it can be serious or a fun party kind stab-you-in-the-back game.

This game I was totally out-played the rounds 1 and 2, round 3 I got it back, but that was the end of the game. Well played opponent.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30946547

A game I actually bought from playing it on BGA. My daughter loves this game. The tension builds nicely, and a nice mix of logic (process of elimination) and luck.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30946199

Hex is a really nice logic game, I suggest learning this with a similar ability opponent. If you want some brain burn then choose this game, it has a lot more to offer than it first seems.

This particular game was fairly straight forward, I was able to get a horizontal line almost across. The last objective was just to connect to the right hand side and build \ ladder back to make a connection with my original line across. Having a plan at each step means you'll know how to try and play attack or defense and which works best. Always maximize your position (when is that not true in board games?), know when it's a dead-end and try something else.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30945902

I don't know why but I consider Puerto Rico THE example of the EURO style game. I haven't played much on BGA but I know the game fairly well in real-life. The main problem with Puerto Rico is Race for the Galaxy which trumps Puerto Rico in almost every way. The only way Puerto Rico wins is a higher level of interaction and stab-in-the-back style play. Stab-in-the-back games can only be played so many times before you look for something more fun, and if you want full-on strategy 2 player interaction then you should be playing chess which can be played without evil malicious grins everytime you screw your opponent over.

I thought I did enough in this game - 50 points - not bad, but it seems I was totally out played by my opponent, I should have looked more closely to the shipping situation. I think getting the factory was my opponents winning move, it meant she could keep up with me buying while continuing to beat me shipping.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30946296

Nice programming game, very quick and potentially full of fun, but most of the time people just focus on winning. Still a decent game, would definitely recommend a party play with friends.

This game, decided to play with 3 to make for a better game.... bish bash bosh - 1st to 10 (just) GOGIZA was just a step or 2 behind.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30946726

Otherwise known as chinese chess, Xiangqi is very much like, well chess. But it has a few striking differences, enough to make it a proper strategy game in it's own right.

Knights get blocked. Totally freaks me out.
Cannons are just woohaaa - it's possible to get a triple pin.
Pawns (or soldiers) are fewer and can be surprising effective on their own passed the river (half-way point).
There is no queen, which means that rooks and knights are considerably more valueable.
Developing pieces never seems particularly smooth.

The games I've played with asian friends have resulted in losses.

This particular game, my opponent made some attacking short sighted blunders. I had a really nice double cannon finish.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30824253

I love Tzolk'in, it just such a brilliantly constructed idea for a board game. The great big turning wheels, the theme, everything is just superb.

I have 2 small gripes. 1 - The replay ability is not good, every game follows a similar pattern, the tiles don't offer a big enough change to the game play, you can play a strategy without caring which tiles may come up. 2 - For the main 'big resource' (possibly the best) strategy can completely ignore the Chicken Pizza wheel. This seems a real shame, the main focal point at the end of the game at least should be the chichen itza. I need an analogy, it's a bit like going to Italy and not trying pizza, (on the flip-side to that, don't come to England to try the Fish and Chips).

This particular game was a good fight between skulls (me) and resources/build (Cappie). At the half-way point I didn't even contest the temples and I think you would have had Cappie down as the win, I had 6 meeples compared to Cappie's 5. The 2nd half went fairly smoothly and I plastered the itza wheel and ended up with most of the skulls available and top of each of the 3 temples. Cappie scored an incredible amount in his final turn but was not enough against the skulls.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30946744

You know what checkers is!
Originally I thought that there wasn't too much to this game, but the international rules as well as a bigger board definitely offers more game play.

Very, very close game, took an age before anyone had the edge and BOOM! my opponent blew me away with a series of forced taking moves.
He then king'd and perhaps let his guard down and allowed me to king as well. He then refused to move his king...(?) and I made the most of mine.
The last nail in the coffin was a forced take to allow me to take his king and it was game over from then.

https://en.boardgamearena.com/#!table?table=30945732