One person, one shelf, one strategy.
I'm Brandon Stoker. I've been playing strategy games since I could read the rules, and I've been writing about them since 2016. This site is the long form of that hobby — strategy, reviews, and a recommendation engine that knows what's actually on your shelf.
Why this site exists
I started boardgamestrategy.blog in 2016 because the recommendation problem in board games is genuinely interesting and badly solved. BGG ratings are useful but blunt. "What should I play tonight?" deserves a real answer, not a star average.
The other reason is more selfish: I think out loud by writing, and I'd rather publish my notes than keep them in a drawer. If any of them save you a bad purchase or a frustrating game night, that's gravy.
What you'll find here
- Strategy guides for specific games — Counting to 21, Stratego, Splendor, Blokus, and dozens more.
- Reviews and hot takes on what's worth your shelf space.
- Game theory deep dives that turn into real tactical advice.
- Career strategy in its own section — applying strategic thinking to professional decisions.
- Side projects from Stoken Games: published board games, an ebook, and a graphic novel.
- First Pick — the AI-powered recommender that's the whole reason this site got rewritten.
Brandon, in his own words
Brandon grew up with 6 brothers and 2 sisters. He has played strategy games his entire life with family, neighbors, and friends. He is now the father of 4 young budding strategists and plays with them as much as he can.
Brandon has an undergrad degree and a graduate degree in Economics with an emphasis in Game Theory. (Being good at game theory isn't the same as being good at games, but it gives you a framework to think about things.) Brandon has worked in Operations Research for the DOD, LLamasoft, Nike Inc, and Chick-fil-A, where he simulates and optimizes operations and supply chain networks.
He currently lives in the Atlanta area and loves Star Wars, Dr Who, epic fantasy, Disney, Ultimate Frisbee, cycling, and playing games with his family.
This site is a Stoken Games publication.
Stoken Games is the design studio behind Emergent (a supply chain strategy game), JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out (an ebook), and Scarab (a Kickstarter-funded graphic novel). The Side Projects section is where those live.
stokengames.com →There's a career strategy series too.
The same questions that decide a tabletop game decide a career: position, tempo, information, optionality. Ten essays so far on hiring, promotion, sideways moves, and exits.
Read Career Strategy →