This is a Golden Age for board games. More people are playing games such as chess, Monopoly, Risk and Scrabble, than ever before! But how did these games, and so many others, come to be invented? Discover the compelling stories behind the creation of the board games we know and love to play- stories that have touched every aspect of people's lives down the ages. Our journey starts 5,000 years ago and takes you right up to the present day. On the way, each game will reveal the fascinating secrets of its origin and its lasting appeal.

More than 100 games are explored chronologically, from the most ancient to the most modern, allowing you to see how similar types of games relate to each other. Each feature traces the story of a particular game, or a group of games. revealing origins, gameplay, and cultural impact and legacy. All kinds of board games are included- games from ancient times (Senet, chess, mah jong, mancala); Victorian race games (ludo, snakes & ladders); modern classics (Cluedo, Ticket to Ride, Exploding Kittens); action games (Mouse Trap, Jenga); war games (Risk, Axis & Allies, Diplomacy) fantasy games (HeroQuest, Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons), and much more. Delving into this fascinating book will immeasurably add to the pleasure and fun every time you open the box of your favourite game, take out the board, arrange the pieces, and start to play!