BY REINA TEJANO-BERINA
Video and mobile games can take hours and hours of our lives but playing classic board games help create memories with our friends and family.
You’re playing solo on a mobile phone. Eyes glued to the screen. An eerie silence befalls the room. No one is exclaiming with you as you win or feeling frustrated with you as you lose. There’s just you and the computer-generated foe – playing with you and taking your time.
We’ve all been there — living rooms packed with youngsters (and even adults) but no one is speaking nor interacting with each other. Everyone’s necks are curved down to their screens, probably only moving to the sound of food being offered or a ringing fire alarm.
It’s up to the older generation to take these kids out of their phones and video games every once in a while and (re)introduce them to the fun world of board games. They may see them as primitive modes of gameplay but these are abundant with benefits: mental agility, improved knowledge and strategic skills, keeps traditions alive, and best of all, strengthens family ties.
Here are our picks for the best games of the past to try while in quarantine.
Chess
Did you know that the oldest chess manual was referenced to a renowned Arab chess player from Anatolia named Al-Adli ar-Rumi? Chess is an ancient game from as early as the 6th century and it’s amazing how it has remained a significant sport for the cleverest of minds. Each move a player makes demonstrates his/her strategic tactics (or lack thereof). Exposing children to the game of chess raises their ability in problem solving and decision-making.
Carrom / “Finger Billiards”
One of the traditional and social board games in Saudi is made out of this square of lacquered plywood called “Carrom”. Originally from India, the game was said to have arrived in the Kingdom when Indian traders came in the Hijaz region. This is a popular game played indoors or at camping trips and cafes. It is mainly interactive, challenging players to flick the small wooden disks at the corner circles of the board. It is a game that is enjoyed by both men, women, young and old.
Scrabble
Entice your friends and family to stretch their vocabulary with the classic word game of Scrabble! The game originated from the US in the 1930s by an architect named Alfred Mosher Butts. Playing the game is a combination of strategy and wit as you need to maximize your points with every word you compose by using the power squares of Double Word/Letter or Triple Word/Letter. It’s a great way to teach kids how to spell and learn new words.
Backgammon
Known as the oldest game in the world, Backgammon traces back to 3000 BC from Mesopotamia. The game has managed to stay popular especially in Arab countries, with the goal being to move all fifteen checkers (game pieces) off the board by roll of the dice. Developing your countermoves are key to winning the game, although part is played by luck because of the dice. It’s a game that older folk can teach their grandkids to keep it alive for more generations to come – a passing of the torch so to speak.
Snakes and Ladders
An oldie but a goodie! This colorful board game is a hit with everyone as it’s easy to understand and fun to play. The icons of the game are considered symbolic of life’s ups and downs, with the ladders signifying one’s virtues and the snakes pertaining to vices. Luck is mainly needed to win the game at the mercy of the dice but the road to winning is surrounded by clean, family fun.
