Board games in Boston

posted March 9, 2016 9:27 AM | |

Sat March 26 at 7:00 PM, cogitron's house

1899 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, USA (Map & Directions)

Pandemonium Books & Games in Central Square in Cambridge and Knight Moves in Brookline spring to mind. Pandemonium is a game shop with a big basement and free open board gaming 6-11 PM on Sundays. Knight Moves is a board gaming cafe that charges a flat fee for a day of entry including use of their game library. They sell snacks and beverages too.

Wherever -- any board gaming is good board gaming.
posted by pickles_have_souls at 5:33 PM on March 9, 2016

Laugh Boston's Free Game night includes at least Cards Against Humanity, and it mentions MARIO KART. It's free and you can drink beer. They seem to do it every Tuesday Night.

I have never gone and I'd be interested in checking this out. It's about a 10 minute walk from South Station, and it may be on the Silver Line as well.
posted by not_on_display at 12:45 AM on March 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

Sounds fun!
posted by Sublimity at 3:51 AM on March 10, 2016

If it's on a weekend I could make it up there for fun times.
posted by Aznable at 5:08 AM on March 10, 2016

Interested! I have no thoughts on venue. I would love to try Cosmic Encounter if anyone has a copy and wants to bring it along.
posted by backseatpilot at 5:19 AM on March 10, 2016

There is a "gaming convention" in Somerville on April 10 which sounds like it's mostly a game-playing meetup. It has a $20 fee, though.
posted by ignignokt at 6:05 AM on March 10, 2016

Oh, I have Cosmic Encounter. Do I ever have Cosmic Encounter.
posted by Aznable at 6:40 AM on March 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

There is a "gaming convention" in Somerville on April 10 which sounds like it's mostly a game-playing meetup. It has a $20 fee, though.

If we could avoid an entry fee, that would be good.

Pandemonium Books & Games in Central Square in Cambridge and Knight Moves in Brookline spring to mind. Pandemonium is a game shop with a big basement and free open board gaming 6-11 PM on Sundays. Knight Moves is a board gaming cafe that charges a flat fee for a day of entry including use of their game library. They sell snacks and beverages too.

I proposed a meetup at the Knight's Move, but no one came to the second one I set up. I think the Knight's Move went over badly because the games they had were poorly maintained, they didn't sell much food, the tables were crowded, and they charged an entry fee. I like Pandemonium, but its gaming area smells kind of bad. Acceptably bad, but not good.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 10:26 AM on March 10, 2016

I like Pandemonium, but its gaming area smells kind of bad. Acceptably bad, but not good.

Glad to hear it said. The time I went, it was really bad.
posted by ignignokt at 11:27 AM on March 10, 2016

I keep calling it "The Knight's Move" instead of "Knight Moves" and that habit apparently extends to when I read it and post it in a quote in a comment on here. Whoops
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 11:43 AM on March 10, 2016

I know of at least one board game group that used (and for all I know still uses) the dining room of the Blue Shirt Cafe in Davis Square. They're generally not very busy on week nights, and they seem ok with gaming as long as people are buying at least some food and beverages.
posted by firechicago at 1:15 PM on March 10, 2016

Also they make good sandwiches.
posted by maryr at 1:25 PM on March 10, 2016

Also interested, & fine with any of the options here!

Happy to host at our place if it's convenient enough (~5 min walk from Porter Square in Cambridge) and cats are not a problem. We have a fair few board games although not as many options as at a cafe. BUT we do not charge entrance fees and we can provide some free food and beer.
posted by cogitron at 7:09 PM on March 10, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm interested (I'm near Porter/Davis), but I probably wouldn't come if there were an entrance fee.
posted by transient at 5:31 AM on March 11, 2016

I've also seen people play games in Au Bon Paine in Davis.

I've got a reasonable number of games. I like the idea of Blue Shirt Cafe - they have smoothies.
posted by canine epigram at 8:13 AM on March 11, 2016

I like the looks of the Blue Shirt Cafe, and cogitron's offer is very gracious. Does anyone have any strong preferences for time and place?
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:51 AM on March 11, 2016

Blue Shirt sounds fine to me! I'm generally pretty wide open for the next few weeks, I think.
posted by backseatpilot at 1:45 PM on March 12, 2016

What about next Wednesday, the 23rd, 7pm?

If people have a strong preference for a weekend, I think we'd want to take cogitron up on their offer. Thoughts?
posted by canine epigram at 4:48 AM on March 16, 2016

Our usual trivia group meets on Wednesdays, and there was at least some rumbling about doing trivia on the 23rd. (Also, I'll be out of town.)
posted by firechicago at 5:18 AM on March 16, 2016

I think that's the only day in the next few weeks that I'm unavailable, unfortunately.
posted by backseatpilot at 6:02 AM on March 16, 2016

If not Wednesday the 23rd, what about Tuesday or Thursday? Or Wednesday the 30th?
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 6:37 AM on March 16, 2016

Tuesday the 22nd, Thursday the 24th, and Friday the 25th are good for me, as is Saturday the 26th. As long as there isn't an IRL trivia night scheduled on the 30th, that's also good.
posted by pickles_have_souls at 8:17 AM on March 16, 2016

Anytime from Thursday the 24th on is good for me! (Still happy to host if that's useful, not hurt if it's not. Our logic is that $20/hour for babysitting goes a long way for beer.)
posted by cogitron at 1:41 PM on March 16, 2016

Then I'd vote for Thursday or Friday of next week.

If cogitron has enough room, seems like them hosting might be more comfortable.
posted by canine epigram at 3:15 PM on March 16, 2016

cogitron, would you be OK with hosting on the 24th or the 26th?
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:34 AM on March 17, 2016

Yep! Either the 24th or 26th is good.

Space-wise, we can fit about 8 around a dining table, and up to about 20 total comfortably (if some of those people can be comfortable on the floor).
posted by cogitron at 1:56 PM on March 17, 2016

Well, I can't do the 26th, since I've got a pre-existing board game commitment.

Cogitron, you're hosting, so either you can arbitrarily decide or I could post a Doodle poll to see who could make which date?
posted by canine epigram at 3:28 PM on March 17, 2016

Either really is fine, so sure--Doodle?
posted by cogitron at 5:19 PM on March 17, 2016

Vote for your preferred date!

I'll leave it open until Tuesday night 8pm.
posted by canine epigram at 10:40 AM on March 18, 2016

Thanks for opening the poll, canine epigram!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:31 PM on March 19, 2016

So far we have 22 "Maybes" and only three votes in the poll. Do people want a different time and venue?
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 8:11 AM on March 20, 2016

To explain my "maybe" and absence of vote: I'm out of town from Wednesday to Monday. A different time would let me attend, but there will be other opportunities.
posted by cardioid at 8:22 AM on March 21, 2016

Sorry we'll miss you, cardioid! I hope to set up other board-game meetups in the future, not necessarily at cogitron's place, so as you say, there will be other opportunities.

So far we have four votes for this Saturday and two for this Thursday. Vote if you'd like to do so!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:17 AM on March 22, 2016

I turn out to have a slight preference for Saturday due to my fiance's work schedule, but it should be treated only as a vote (doesn't affect us being able to host). Hence voting :)
posted by cogitron at 8:11 AM on March 22, 2016

Looks like it's five against two for Saturday. I'll set the date for Saturday the 26th. What about the time? Is 7:30 all right, or does that sound too late?
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:14 PM on March 22, 2016

I misread canine epigram's poll. Is 7:00 okay for people, or would you prefer an earlier time? Don't forget to mark yourself as attending, and don't forget to MeMail cogitron for the address!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 12:24 PM on March 23, 2016

Okay, then, it doesn't look like there are any objections, so please R.S.V.P. by marking yourself as "attending" and MeMailing cogitron for the address. See you guys there at 7:00 on Saturday!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 9:34 AM on March 24, 2016

Oh hey - I can attend this!
posted by DiscourseMarker at 5:52 AM on March 25, 2016

Badass! See you there!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 6:31 AM on March 25, 2016

Sorry, I thought I'd be able to make this - hence voted in the poll, but it looks like that's not going to be possible. Have fun all!
posted by peacheater at 2:25 PM on March 26, 2016

Sorry we'll miss you. Next time!
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 3:02 PM on March 26, 2016

Based on the bus schedule, I will probably be there by about 7:15. Do you guys need me to bring anything?
posted by DiscourseMarker at 3:12 PM on March 26, 2016

I'm coming and I'm bringing dozens of those liquor-filled chocolate bottle things because oh my god you guys help.
posted by Hypatia at 3:30 PM on March 26, 2016

I can help you with that!
posted by DiscourseMarker at 3:31 PM on March 26, 2016

Hooray! I wasn't able to attend, but how was it?
posted by canine epigram at 7:11 AM on March 27, 2016

It went very well. Plenty of people came and, speaking for myself, I had a great time. Many thanks to cogitron, once again, for hosting the meetup. I'd love to organize another one soon.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:33 AM on March 27, 2016 [1 favorite]

Sweet. What games were played?
posted by canine epigram at 4:39 AM on March 28, 2016

First we all played Codenames, and that went well, and then we split up into two groups. One group played Alhambra, while the group I was in played Cosmic Encounter, a hidden-information card game recreating the wine-in-front-of-me dilemma from The Princess Bride, and Samurai. Like I said, I had fun. I gathered that the game of Alhambra went on longer than it usually does, but it looked like everyone at that table enjoyed themselves, too.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:41 AM on March 28, 2016

The card game was called Chalice, and I thought it was very good!
posted by backseatpilot at 8:17 AM on March 28, 2016

I'm very excited that we may have a new core for gaming activities!
posted by canine epigram at 3:58 PM on March 29, 2016