The best abstract♟ board, card & dice games 2023

Looking for a really good party game where the game experience and the game mechanics are the most important things? Then we have just the thing: A list of the 30 best abstract♟ games 2023.

What are abstract games?

In an abstract board, card or dice game, the theme or scenario is not important. So in abstract games, the focus is on the game experience itself.

Many classics are abstract games

Many of the classic board games around the world, including Chess, Go, Checkers, Xiangqi (Chinese chess), Shogi (Japanese chess), Backgammon, Reversi (marketed as "Othello") fit into the category of abstract games.

Some in addition also "combinatorial".

Many abstract games also happen to be "combinatorial", meaning there is no hidden information, no non-deterministic elements (such as shuffled cards or dice rolls), no simultaneous or hidden movement or set-up, and (usually) two players or teams take a finite number of alternating turns.

Abstract is more likely to be understood as "theme-less"

The term "abstract" here should be understood as a synonym for "theme-less" or "theoretical". An abstract game thus does not contain a theme and setting. Abstract games are primarily about the game experience and the game mechanics - not about the scenario in which it is set.

List of the best abstract♟ board games 2023