Board Game Glossary
The essential A-Z of tabletop terminology.
Glossary
A
Abstract
Defines games emphasizing strategy over thematic elements.
Alpha Player
A dominant player who leads or dictates play, particularly in cooperative games.
Ameritrash
American-style games heavy on theme, conflict, and luck.
Analysis Paralysis (AP)
Excessive overthinking causing game slowdowns.
Area Control Game
Game genre where players vie to control areas on a board.
Auction Game
Games based on bidding mechanics.
B
Balance
Ensuring fair play chances and game stability.
Beer & Pretzels Game
Casual, often silly games heavy on randomness.
Blind Bid
Secret bidding mechanic with simultaneous offers.
Block Wargame
Wargame featuring block units with hidden information.
C
Card Drafting
Players select cards from a limited visible set.
CCG (Collectible Card Game)
Games with collectible card decks, e.g., Magic: The Gathering.
Chrome
Added thematic elements not essential to game mechanics.
Cooperative Game
Players team against game system, not each other.
D
Deck Building Game
Players construct personal decks during play.
Dexterity Game
Games relying on physical skill.
Dice Drafting
Selecting dice from a common pool in the drafting phase.
Dungeon Crawl
Game scenarios focusing on exploration and combat in labyrinths.
E
Economic Game
Games simulating economic activities and resource management.
Eurogame
Strategy games with indirect conflict and economic focus.
Expansion
Add-on content to base games.
F
Family Game
Games suitable for a broad age range, usually easy-to-learn.
Fiddly
Games/components requiring excessive manipulation.
G
Gateway Game
Easy games to introduce players to the hobby.
Grognard
Hardcore wargamer or deeply dedicated player.
H
Heavy
Games with complex mechanics and long playtimes.
Hex
A six-sided tile used for maps in many games.
I
IRL
In real life, referring to face-to-face play.
J
JASE
Pejorative for uninspired or derivative Eurogames.
K
Kingmaker
Player who can decide winner despite no chance of winning themselves.
L
Legacy Game
Games with permanently changing elements over campaign play.
Light
Games with simple rules and quick playtime.
M
Majority Control Game
Games where controlling the majority of items or area scores.
Meeple
Stylized wooden playing pieces.
N
Negotiation Game
Games focused on trading and diplomacy.
Newbie
New or inexperienced player.
O
OP (Overpowered)
Elements giving an unfair advantage.
Operational
Wargame scale larger than tactical but smaller than strategic.
P
Party Game
Socially-oriented games for larger groups.
Pie Rule
Balancing method in two-player games.
Player Elimination
Mechanic that removes players before game end.
Player Interaction
Degree players affect each other's gameplay.
Q
Quarterbacking
Synonymous with Alpha player.
R
Race Game
Games based on reaching a goal first.
Roll-and-Move
Mechanic wherein players move pieces based on dice rolls.
RPG (Role-playing game)
Games where players act roles guided by a GM.
S
Scenario
Set of initial game conditions.
Secret Unit Deployment
Placing units hidden from opponents.
Set-Up
Initial preparation phase.
Solo Game
Game for a single player.
T
Tableau
Area where players place cards/items to build combinations.
Tactics
Short term decisions.
Tile Laying Game
Games primarily involving placement of tiles.
Trick Taking Game
Card games where trick winner takes collected cards.
U
Underdeveloped
Insufficiently connected or incomplete mechanisms.
V
Variant
Optional or modified rules/forms of a game.
Victory Conditions
Requirements to win a game.
Victory Points (VP)
Points scored towards winning.
W
Wagering
Betting mechanic.
Wargame
Strategic games simulating military conflict.
WIP
Work In Progress. Often related to developing games or components.
Worker Placement
Players assign workers to actions, exclusive occupancy.
Z
Zero-sum
Game where all gains equal losses.
ZoC (Zone of Control)
Area around units affecting movement and supply, common in wargames.
Zugzwang
Situation where any move worsens position (from chess).