Welcome. This website provides history and useful information about traditional games from around the world. You will find it copied and plagiarised all over the Internet - rest assured that everything on this website is original. The games featured have survived for centuries or millenia simply by being passed down from generation to generation and most continue to thrive today. The author welcomes your comments.
Look up a specific game using the 'Game Index' button above or you can drill down to your area of interest using the categories below.
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 The
histories of all the major board games played today from all over
the world. Including Western board games favourites like Chess
(descended from Shaturanga),
Draughts (descended from Alquerque),
the ancient Egyptian game of Nine
Mens Morris and Backgammon
(descended  from
Senat) and childrens favourites
Snakes and Ladders, and Chinese
Checkers (a modern version of Halma).
Just as importantly, games which are even more popular but less
well known in the West such as Go,
Shogi, Chinese
Chess, Mancala and
Pachisi (Ludo). Plus some
unusual games like the ancient Norse game of Tafl,
the Madagascan game of Fanorona
and some really ancient games like the Royal
games found at Ur. |
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  Table
games including Carrom from Asia
and the Billiards family
through Snooker to the
American and European derivatives, Bar
Billiards, Bagatelle, Pool
and Carom Billiards. Also, the Shovelboard
and Shove Ha'penny family,
Squails and Crokinole
plus the table-top versions of Skittles,
Indoor Quoits and Bagatelle
and casino games such as Roulette.
Not forgetting Table Tennis. |
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 The
history of British pub games and other unashamedly traditional British
pastimes: Dominoes,  Cribbage,
Quoits, Shove
Ha'penny, Billiards and
Snooker, Skittles, Darts,
Bar Billiards and a few splendidly
eccentric extras for good measure like Ringing
the Bull, Toad in the Hole,
Bat & Trap, Knur
& Spell and Aunt Sally. |
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Dice, Cards and Tiles
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Traditional
Lawn games including
Mah
JongSome traditional games are in decline and perhaps need some help. The increasing popularity of online casino games, maybe, at least in part, responsible for this decline.
If you are organising a league, competition or maybe just play a less well-known pub game in your local, the author is happy to mention it on this website for free. See the Leagues and Pubs page.
jm at tradgames.org.uk