What we’re about
Seattle Board Games supports a vibrant and inclusive community of board game enthusiasts in the Seattle metro area. Our events and gatherings offer opportunities to have fun, make friends, and deepen our appreciation for the art, design, and strategy of board games. We seek to make games more accessible by removing barriers to enjoying and learning from them.
We host all types of boardgames, from lighter games such as Settlers of Catan and Lords of Waterdeep to heavier Euros like Brass Birmingham, Dune Imperium, and others. We also play thematic games such as Battlestar Galactica, social deduction games like Blood on the Clocktower, Magic the Gathering, card games, and party games. If it's on BoardGameGeek's list of over 25,000 games, we might be playing it!
We have a Discord! Connect with hundreds of other local board game fans, set up game sessions, play online, and be the first to know about some events before they're announced on Meetup! This link will lead you there!
Anyone can become an event organizer and host events - either specific games or open gaming sessions. If you are interested, please contact the primary organizer.
We are member and organizer driven, and welcome suggestions for improvements and new directions.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Assisted Living Game Night @ Horizon HouseHorizon House, Seattle, WA
Make a difference through games!
Join us for a special game night at Horizon House where we’ll be playing simple, engaging games with elderly residents, including those with cognitive decline. This is a great opportunity to share your love of games, brighten someone’s evening, and create meaningful connections.
We’re looking for volunteers to help facilitate easy-to-learn games such as Uno or No Thanks!. No prior knowledge of the specific games or experience with assisted living residents is needed -- just bring a friendly attitude and a willingness to engage!
We'll have a short meeting in the lobby before heading upstairs to the Assisted Living wing. Please note the end time for this event is approximate.
Horizon House is a retirement community in First Hill, near Freeway Park. We'll be working with the Life Enrichment team to make this a fun night for everyone!
This is volunteer work, so if you'd like documentation of it for any reason, please let us know and we can provide it.
- Let's play Shakespeare @ Stoup Capitol Hill!Stoup Brewing Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
The theaters of London are abuzz. In one week, her majesty the Queen will attend their new shows and will grant her support to one of the troupes. It's the chance of a lifetime for the young authors who are inflaming the populace with ever more audacious and motley plays. But how do you create a masterpiece in such a short time? Whoever has the answer to this thorny question will probably enter the rolls of history!
In Shakespeare, players are theater managers who must recruit actors, craftsmen, jewelers and others in order to assemble everything needed for the play's performance at week's end.
Players of all experience levels are welcome - a teach will be provided prior to the game!
BGG Link: Shakespeare
- THE ESTATES @ Stoup Capitol Hill!Stoup Brewing Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
"You know, it's like my econ professor at Harvard used to say to me: never examine the motives of the guys writing your checks."
The City Council recently approved the zoning map for a new urban development -- The Estates -- featuring high-end infrastructure and a modern atmosphere for its citizens. Soon after, the banks awarded millions of dollars in loans to six real estate investment firms to help develop this new area. The zoning map for The Estates calls for two rows of four buildings each, located between the River and Main Street. The meadows on the other side of the River are to remain a recreational area for the City.
But, with hopes of larger profits, investors and building tycoons entirely ignore the City Council's demands and begin developing three rows of buildings instead. The Mayor catches wind of the potential for profit and begins planning a new mansion in The Estates, which would double the value of one of the building rows! With some sketchy building permits, investors begin developing buildings on the other side of the River, beyond the designated building zone. However, the City Council takes rigorous steps to put an end to the racketeering with an ultimatum: As soon as the first two rows are completed, the buildings in the uncompleted row will be torn down, resulting in a huge loss for all who invested there. At the end of the day, the investor with the highest-valued buildings will come out on top.
The Estates is a medium-light complexity city-building and negotiation game which incorporates auctions/bidding, investment, and a heavy dose of "take that!"
New players are welcome, and the host is happy to teach if you haven't played before.
3 - 5 players
45 - 90 minutes expected play time, depending on turnout and player familiarity. We may be able to play more than once!The Estates on Board Game Geek
Rules overview: How to Play with Becca Scott (Don't worry, we'll go over the rules on the day, too.)A few important details:
- It's Cap Hill, so parking can be a challenge. Sorry, it's a walking neighborhood! Stoup (formerly Optimism) Brewing is located at the corner of Union and Broadway, very close to several transit stops and the First Hill Streetcar.
- There's an open gaming event organized by another group happening at the same time, we'll try to set up near them so all the gamers can hang out together! In the event of a low turnout we can even see if any of them would like to fill the empty seat(s).
- Purchasing something isn't a strict requirement, but it's nice to do since we're using the space. Please support the business if you can!
- Stoup allows outside food and there are several eateries nearby. There's usually a food truck outside too.
- I open signups for most of my events 1-3 days before pressing the "announce" button here on Meetup; if you want to know about that when it happens and have the opportunity to claim a seat before others, you can join the Seattle Board Games Discord server, where I'll post to let users there know as soon as RSVPs open!
