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The Most Beautiful Games
Brian Poe
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Tucson
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Recommend
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These are not just games with nice pieces. These are not games that are necessarily the best games ever. These are not games with pretty bits. These are not games that look cool when you're playing them. These are those games that when seen... are just... beautiful. You wouldn't mind leaving these games out on your coffee table when your in-laws come over to visit.
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Popular Tags: games_as_art [+] Altairas_geeklists [+] beauty [+] [View All]
Posted Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:11 pm
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1. Board Game: Go [Average Rating:7.79 Overall Rank:36]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 There is nothing more beautiful than a completed game of go. After each one is done you will never see it again. Each game is like a snowflake: beautiful and different.
3
Steven Chen
New Zealand
Auckland City
Auckland
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Seriously?
Roger Leroux
Canada
Vancouver
BC
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If I were to display a game, it would be about 20 moves in - the framework becomes apparent, but the possibilities are still endless, and it makes you think.

The finished game is too cluttered (when considered as art object).

But I must agree - the first game I thought of when I saw the title of the list.
Francisco J. Piña A.
Chile
Calama
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Definitely a beauty to watch. No one who has seen my set has been able to ignore it :)
Aubrey Miles
United States
Logan
Utah
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The black and white asthetic is definately a Japanese one. And I agree that it's stunning.

Other examples of the same sort of impact can be found in Japanese calligraphy (shoudo).
William Hostman
United States
Eagle River
Alaska
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it also attracts those who can't keep from fiddling with things, and they tend to mess it up...

People like ATers and small children.
2. Board Game: Chess [Average Rating:7.06 Overall Rank:209]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 There are few games made with such varied, beautiful sets. Regardless of your taste for the game one would never go amiss upon your coffee table.
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Marc Dabros
Canada
Ottawa
Ontario
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I couldn't agree with you more Brian. I bought a beautiful chess set while on vacation in Florence almost 20 years ago, and it still sits on my coffee table. My kids grew up playing it.
3. Board Game: Backgammon [Average Rating:6.48 Overall Rank:664]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
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 An elegant and simple design, a nice set of backgammon deserves a place of respect in your home.
4. Board Game: Mancala [Average Rating:5.86 Overall Rank:2206]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 The simple design of the board provides a pleasant and proud centerpiece for any home.
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Gregory Wong
United States
San Jose
California
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Wasn't the original game played using holes in ground and pieces of camel dung?
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What's not attractive about camel dung? zombie
Antonio Chavez
United States
Laredo
Texas
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Of course everyone loves camel dung. But I draw the line at holes in the ground. :gulp:
5. Board Game: ZÈRTZ [Average Rating:7.41 Overall Rank:112]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 The prettiest of the Gipf project games. I would not be ashamed to display a game in progress.
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Brian Poe
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I would like to say that although this game IS beautiful, the thing that I find unsettling is that because players share the same pieces playing a "good move" is one that doesn't provide the opponent with a good move... so in effect you end up making the worst move possible until either one player makes a mistake or one runs out of hindering moves. So i's not my favorite Gipf game but it is the most attractive to me.
Bill
United States
Sayville
New York
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Zertz is definitely not a defensive game. The top players play very aggressively and force combinations of exchanges that benefit them. Othello and Abalone are abstracts that suffer from the condition that you describe in my opinion (but I've heard that strong Othello players disagree and I'd have to concede the fact to them as I am a novice at that game).
6. Board Game: Ido [Average Rating:5.83 Overall Rank:3267]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 Based on a Piet Mondrian painting, this board and its pieces make an intriguing abstract sculpture.
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Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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This is a gorgeous game - it looks beautiful.
Roger Leroux
Canada
Vancouver
BC
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Too bad it's not as fun to play as to look at. :snore:
Tim Thorp
United States
Granite Falls
Washington
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leroy43 wrote:
Too bad it's not as fun to play as to look at. :snore:


Sort of like Go.
Sandra Snan


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Which painting is that?
7. Board Game: Cathedral [Average Rating:6.57 Overall Rank:682]
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Craig Blumer
United States
Oshkosh
Wisconsin
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 There are several very beautiful versions of cathedral.
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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I used to have this copy when I was a kid. I never found out what happened to it. But it is a really pretty game. I've seen some really nice hardwood sets too.
Jim Marshall
United Kingdom
York
North Yorkshire
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I have a wooden set whichs looks really good.
8. Board Game: The High Kings of Tara [Average Rating:6.22 Overall Rank:3711]
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Richard Irving
United States
Salinas
California
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 I love how the pieces create Celtic knotwork as the game is being played.

This is a much nicer set than the one I own.
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9. Board Game: Blokus [Average Rating:7.23 Overall Rank:127]
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mark mellott
United States
Beaverton
Oregon
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 Two games came to mind when I saw this list. Blokus...
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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Does anyone know exactly which edition/print/whatever is depicted in this picture. I really like it but my FLGS has a different copy. I would be interested in getting a nice set like this.
Paul DeStefano
United States
Long Island
New York
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I've never seen a differing copy. What makes it different?
William Hostman
United States
Eagle River
Alaska
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Geosphere wrote:
I've never seen a differing copy. What makes it different?


The specific shades of the pieces. My blue is nearly purple, and my green is kelley, not mint.
10. Board Game: Pente [Average Rating:6.62 Overall Rank:666]
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mark mellott
United States
Beaverton
Oregon
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 and Pente.
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11. Board Game: Samurai [Average Rating:7.54 Overall Rank:52]
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New Zealand
Wellington
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 On the right table, in the right lighting, I think this game can look very beautiful.
Maarten D. de Jong
Netherlands
Zaandam
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Yuck, yuck, yuck. If it were Mike Doyle's redo, then perhaps, yes.
Ryan McLelland
United States
Draper
Utah
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Really? I like some of Mike's work, but his version of Samurai just makes me cringe.
12. Board Game: Skybridge [Average Rating:6.13 Overall Rank:2709]
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Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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 I haven't played it... but every time I pass it in the gaming store I'm sorely tempted.
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Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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Good game and a beautiful one to have set-up and ready to go all the time.
13. Board Game: Hare & Tortoise [Average Rating:6.72 Overall Rank:454]
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Robert Rossney
United States
San Francisco
California
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I couldn't find any pictures of the board or cards for the Ravensburger edition of Hare & Tortoise, which is a shame: I think it's the most beautiful boardgame art I've ever seen.
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14. Board Game: Paradice [Average Rating:6.21 Unranked]
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Geni Palladin
Switzerland
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 Beautiful, but a lousy game
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Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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In my office... It's an OK game...
15. Board Game: Abtei der wandernden Bücher [Average Rating:8.33 Unranked]
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Geni Palladin
Switzerland
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 beautiful, but what would you expect for a price over 2000$?
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16. Board Game: Arkham Horror [Average Rating:7.60 Overall Rank:50]
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Hovhannes B.
United States
Unspecified
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 To me this is an example of an absolutely beautiful game.
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17. Board Game: Mouse Chaos [Average Rating:4.77 Overall Rank:5585]
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Robin
United States

Kentucky
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 I think this is a beautiful looking abstract. Or maybe its just the photographer's way of capturing the game.
Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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Mouse Chaos has to have some of the coolest bits around... the cats and mice are fabulous, now throw in a table, chairs, walls, and cheese and this looks even more incredible.
Kevin Chamberlain
Canada
St. Catharines
Ontario
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It might look good, but it's the WORSE GAME EVER! Next to Perudo.
18. Board Game: Friedrich [Average Rating:7.68 Overall Rank:87]
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Josh K.
United States
Near Doyle's pub, Stony Brook, Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, USA, North America, Earth, Sol, Milky Way, Universe, Everything
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 As beautiful a board as can be found.
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Austria
Vienna
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How 'bout an image of the beautiful map...?
Bill
United States
Sayville
New York
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Except the blue color chosen for Prussia makes it look like a body of water.
19. Board Game: Fire [Average Rating:6.02 Overall Rank:3696]
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Rob
United States
Magnolia
TX
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 This could be mistaken for artwork.
Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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Mine is setup next to batik in my living room.
20. Board Game: Runebound Second Edition [Average Rating:7.07 Overall Rank:236]
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Hovhannes B.
United States
Unspecified
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 Another great looking game. With a map that can change depending on the expansion, this game is always changing its look, but the production value is always A+
21. Board Game: Senet [Average Rating:5.76 Overall Rank:3691]
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North Bridge Studios
United States
Signal Mountain
Tennessee
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 This image captured my attention a couple of weeks ago. A nice example of beautiful Egyptian artistry in the form of one of the earliest board games.
22. Board Game: HeroScape Expansion Set: Thaelenk Tundra [Average Rating:7.70 Unranked] [Average Rating:7.70 Unranked]
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Hunter Shelburne
United States
San Marcos/Hempstead
Texas
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 The Tundra set with the Ice Dragon sitting in front of a Glacier is really great looking to me, at least. All the fancy abstract stuff is almost TOO artsy for me.
Steve Wood
United States
Stamford
Connecticut
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I completely agree. The beauty of a game shouldn't have anything to do with how much money you spend on it. See "Go" as an example. Sure, an expensive set can look nice, but this has nothing to do with the game itself.
23. Board Game: Java [Average Rating:7.08 Overall Rank:230]
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Steve Bullock
United States
Palm Coast
Florida
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 This game is so wonderful-looking when done that you hate to take it apart and put it back in the box. I once even thought of buying a second game, gluing the pieces to the board, and hanging it on the wall like a painting. but I just couldn't mess up a sweet game like that...
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24. Board Game: Quads [Average Rating:6.40 Overall Rank:2217]
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ronaldinho @boardspace.net
Taiwan

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 The game looks like a piece of modern art. Most of the Gigamic games have great production values.
25. Board Game: Siena [Average Rating:6.27 Overall Rank:1532]
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Matt Keyes
United States
Richardson
Texas
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 How can one neglect Siena? Playing a game on top of a painting!
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6 comments [Hide]
David Peterson
United States
Santa Clarita
California
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Anything, and I do mean ANYTHING from Days of Wonder. Cleopatra looks amazing!!
Steve Wood
United States
Stamford
Connecticut
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The beauty of the first four games on this list have EVERYTHING to do with the quality of your set, and not the games themselves.

Picture a kids travel Chess set with metal folding board and magnetic pieces made in China versus a 100-year old hand-carved mahogany set.
Rayito CarterClaytonCarson Gauguin
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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I think Hans im Glueck makes the most beautiful board games. My baseline for beauty in a game is El Grande.

Plastic pieces in a board game add a cheap made-in-china look. I can't think of a single game with plastic pieces that I would add to this list.
Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
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Nice to come back to this subject - here are some other lists that cover the same subject in various ways...

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/14873
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/11990
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/1102
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/14462
http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/6203
http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/789
Brian Poe
United States
Tucson
Arizona
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When I started this list I was hoping I would get some suggestions for games that have that "beautiful" look. I didn't want just pretty bits or boards, but the whole game itself to give off a beauty. Thank you all for your wonderful contributions. I love you... my bank account may hate you.
Brian Poe
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Quote:
The beauty of the first four games on this list have EVERYTHING to do with the quality of your set, and not the games themselves.

Picture a kids travel Chess set with metal folding board and magnetic pieces made in China versus a 100-year old hand-carved mahogany set.


I think that's not quite true. I admit I have a SEVERE bias for Go, but I don't have a particular soft spot for any of the other I put in the top 4.

I'm not going to defend Go. Us Go players will never be able to express to others how deep and beautiful each move is to us.

Chess is elegant even if it's a cheap set. I used to play chess a lot in tournaments and I participated in several USCF functions as well as my school team. I have no love for chess anymore but I can still see an elegance and beauty in the game that goes beyond the set your playing with. The depth of thought that can go into a game is staggering and that itself is beautiful.

Personally I can't stand Backgammon. That being said, the board is as simple and beautiful in a cheap set as it is in mahogany. The best moves in Backgammon are designed to make the largest number of possible rolls good for you. While don't like the kind of thinking I have to do to play Backgammon, it's still an elegant game.

I like Mancala. My 15$ set made of some cheap wood and little glass beads is still nice enough to display. I keep my set on the mantle. Moves are simple and calculable and even though it's been solved, it's still a beautiful game.
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