The best board games from the 19th century🏛 2024

Crokinole is a traditional action and dexterity game that has been enjoyed for generations. Played on a circular wooden board, it combines skill, strategy, and a touch of luck.

Perudo, also known as Liar's Dice, Bluff, or Dudo, is a classic South American dice game that combines elements of luck, skill, and bluffing. It's a game where players attempt to outwit each other through bold claims and challenges.

Hearts is a classic trick-taking card game played with a standard deck, beloved for generations and known for its simple yet strategic gameplay. The primary objective is to avoid collecting hearts, each worth one point, and the queen of spades, a pivotal card worth thirteen points. However, the game has a twist – players can attempt to "shoot the moon" by capturing all the hearts and the queen of spades. This daring move either adds 26 points to each opponent's score or reduces the player's own score by 26, depending on the variation played.

Mahjong, known as 麻將/麻将 (Májiàng) in Chinese, is a traditional game that utilizes illustrated tiles and shares similarities with rummy. While it's a popular gambling game, it's important to note that playing for real stakes is not a requirement to enjoy the game.

Poker is a classic card game that combines strategy, skill, and a bit of luck. It's played with a standard 52-card deck, and sometimes Jokers are included as wild cards. The game's primary goal is to win the pot, which is the sum of all bets made during a hand.

Othello, also known as Reversi, is a classic abstract strategy board game that is simple to learn but offers deep strategic complexity. The game involves two players capturing each other's pieces by trapping them between their own. It's a dynamic game where the balance of power can shift quickly, with pieces frequently changing sides.

Chinese Checkers is a classic and engaging board game known for its distinctive star-shaped board. Despite its name, it's neither traditionally Chinese nor related to checkers or chess. It's a variation of the game Halma and supports up to six players.

Pick Up Sticks is a classic dexterity game that challenges players to remove sticks from a tangled pile without disturbing the others. Originating from the use of yarrow stalks for I Ching divination, the game was first published in Germany around 1850 and continues to be enjoyed in various forms, including as Mikado by HABA. It's a simple yet engaging game suitable for players aged 5 and up.