Strategy guides, sharp takes, and reviews for people who treat game night like a thinking sport.https://boardgamestrategy.blog/en-ushttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/apiary-quietly-best-worker-placement/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/apiary-quietly-best-worker-placement/Stonemaier's quietest release solved two problems other worker placement games are still pretending do not exist. Two and a half years later, the genre still has not caught up.Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTReviewsapiarystonemaierworker-placementeurogamesreviewBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/ark-nova-first-three-rounds/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/ark-nova-first-three-rounds/Ark Nova looks like an end-game scoring race. The math says the game is decided in the first three rounds, and most players don't realize it until round eight.Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTStrategyark-novaopening-strategyeurogamesengine-buildingtempoBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/stop-calling-everything-gateway-game/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2026/05/20/stop-calling-everything-gateway-game/'Gateway game' has lost its meaning. Time to reclaim the original word and find better vocabulary for everything else.Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTTheoryhot-takehobby-vocabularygateway-gamescomplexityBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/09/12/emergent-board-game-available-now/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/09/12/emergent-board-game-available-now/Emergent: a Supply Chain Strategy Game is now available for purchase. Follow the purchase link to get a copy delivered to you. Who is Emergent for? Emergent is designed to teach supply chain…Wed, 12 Sep 2018 12:00:00 GMTDesignBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/02/12/emergent-a-supply-chain-strategy-game-rulebook/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/02/12/emergent-a-supply-chain-strategy-game-rulebook/Emergent Rulebook_final_010318Mon, 12 Feb 2018 12:00:00 GMTDesignBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/01/29/liars-dice-addendum/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/01/29/liars-dice-addendum/My math-minded brother has some additional thoughts to add to the Liar’s Dice Strategy. I’ve asked him to guest blog about them. If you want to get nerdy you can add the following when calculating a…Mon, 29 Jan 2018 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/01/16/san-juan-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2018/01/16/san-juan-strategy/Over the holidays I had the opportunity to play Puerto Rico for the first time. I loved the gameplay, and the economic elements. After that, I looked for it in digital version and found San Juan. A…Tue, 16 Jan 2018 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/06/07/greenfield-a-supply-chain-strategy-game/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/06/07/greenfield-a-supply-chain-strategy-game/I like to have projects that work on different parts of my brain. That way, when one part of my brain is tired, I can work on something else that strengthens another part of my brain. I’m finally…Wed, 07 Jun 2017 12:00:00 GMTDesignBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/24/top-posts-of-all-time/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/24/top-posts-of-all-time/I’ve posted 37 times in the past year. I haven’t figured out a good way to browse through the posts easily, so I’m posting them all in the order of views below. Enjoy! Top 5 Splendor Strategy Career…Mon, 24 Apr 2017 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/17/onirim-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/17/onirim-strategy/Have you ever had a bad dream that you can’t wake up from? For me, it is always me trying to run, but not being able to move. I have found that my arms still work in these dreams, so I am able to…Mon, 17 Apr 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/10/dixit-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/04/10/dixit-strategy/Dixit is one of my favorite party games. Everyone can quickly learn and play, but there are subtle strategies that will lead to victory. Here is my strategy: Use stories or phrases that target one…Mon, 10 Apr 2017 12:00:00 GMTGame NightBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/27/perudo-liars-dice/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/27/perudo-liars-dice/Perudo is the original version of Liar’s Dice. The game was reinvigorated by its appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean where the stakes are undead service to Davy Jones. My family plays this game…Mon, 27 Mar 2017 12:00:00 GMTGame NightBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/20/quiet-paper-games-for-church/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/20/quiet-paper-games-for-church/There is a delicate balance between making your kids listen during church, and just hoping that they are quiet so that they don’t distract others who are trying to listen. This is the strategy for…Mon, 20 Mar 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/13/pandemic-strategy-guest-blog/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/13/pandemic-strategy-guest-blog/I’ve invited my brother-in-law Joseph Erickson to post his thoughts around Pandemic strategy. Cooperative board games are great to play with kids because you can lead them along. One of the best is…Mon, 13 Mar 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/06/lord-of-the-rings-confrontation-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/03/06/lord-of-the-rings-confrontation-strategy/This is my all-time favorite two-player game. The complexities of strategy along with the simplicity of play make it accessible but extremely satisfying. My brother and I had been playing this game…Mon, 06 Mar 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/27/king-of-tokyo-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/27/king-of-tokyo-strategy/This is a top 3 game for my 8-year-old girl. She loves taking a big handful of dice and shaking them out. She also loves the giant monsters and the powers you can gain. Here is the strategy: Get in…Mon, 27 Feb 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/20/party-game-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/20/party-game-strategy/Married couples often get together for game nights. When we get an invitation, I get super excited. Sometimes, usually in the fine print, it says, “bring your favorite party game.” This used to fill…Mon, 20 Feb 2017 12:00:00 GMTGame NightBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/15/star-wars-x-wing-miniatures-review/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/15/star-wars-x-wing-miniatures-review/I got a text yesterday to see if I wanted to play a game last night. I was free at 9 PM, and I figured that I would be done by 10:30 or so. This was a gross underestimate. X-wing, it turns out,…Wed, 15 Feb 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/13/counting-to-21-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/13/counting-to-21-strategy/21 is a simple game that you can always win if you go second. The goal of the game is to be the first person to say “21”. The rules are that you can only add 1 or 2 to whatever the other player…Mon, 13 Feb 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/06/splendor-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/02/06/splendor-strategy/Splendor was the 2014 Golden Geek game of the year. It is very polished, easy to learn, and fun to play. The strategy is relatively simple, but the execution is difficult. Summary below. Reserve the…Mon, 06 Feb 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/30/what-to-do-if-people-know-your-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/30/what-to-do-if-people-know-your-strategy/You’ve put together a great strategy, and it has worked multiple times. Eventually, people start to figure out what you are doing and try to stop it. What should you do then? Well, a lot of it…Mon, 30 Jan 2017 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/23/why-we-play-games/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/23/why-we-play-games/On my first date with my wife, we played games together. It was just me and her, and the competition was fierce. Afterward, I went back to my roommates and told them how awesome the date was and how…Mon, 23 Jan 2017 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/17/rock-paper-scissors-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/17/rock-paper-scissors-strategy/Rock, Scissors, Paper feels like a simple game of luck. This is great, because most of your opponents will feel the same way. Although you can’t always win, there is a way to increase your chances…Tue, 17 Jan 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/09/risk-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/09/risk-strategy/Aww, the game of Risk. The perfect game for teenagers to gather together, roll some dice, and conquer the world. Unfortunately, if you don’t play it right, you could be out sleeping on the couch. My…Mon, 09 Jan 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/03/el-grande-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2017/01/03/el-grande-strategy/El Grande is very fun to play. You win or lose because of your own choices, and the choices you make early in the game affect your chances at the end. It is the perfect strategy game. This will be a…Tue, 03 Jan 2017 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/28/blokus-strategy-2-bayesian-probabilities/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/28/blokus-strategy-2-bayesian-probabilities/This piece of Blokus strategy deserves its own post. Let me introduce you to the concept of Bayesian probabilities. The math is pretty heavy, so I will just describe the concept. In regular…Wed, 28 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/26/christmas-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/26/christmas-strategy/Merry Christmas! I love Christmas time, and especially love Christmas morning. I have always had a hard time sleeping because of all the anticipation for what is to come Christmas morning. There are…Mon, 26 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/19/star-wars-epic-duels/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/19/star-wars-epic-duels/A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… Star Wars… To avoid any spoilers, I’m going to stop there. But in light of Rogue One, I am strategizing about one of the best Star Wars games ever. Epic…Mon, 19 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/12/carcassonne-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/12/carcassonne-strategy/Carcassonne is a great game to play with children. Each turn, they only have to make one decision, and you can easily guide them to make decent choices. They enjoy matching up the roads, cities and…Mon, 12 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/07/playing-games-for-christmas/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/07/playing-games-for-christmas/Games are a great present for Christmas. A brand new game can bring energy to the house, and will create great memories. When I was about eight, my family got Hero Quest for Christmas. (Super nerdy,…Wed, 07 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/05/blokus-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/05/blokus-strategy/At our house, the kids play Legos for hours. Annabelle (8) and Josh (6) will spend hours building towers as high as they are. Isaac (4) can’t compete with the older kids. Sometimes he ends up…Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/02/settlers-of-catan-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/02/settlers-of-catan-strategy/Settlers of Catan brought strategy gaming back into popularity. Before Settlers game out, the same games had been played for years. This game is so fun. I like to call it the Harry Potter of board…Fri, 02 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/01/gaming-with-children/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/12/01/gaming-with-children/My church is launching a Light the World program for the month of December. The idea is to serve in 25 ways over 25 days during the month of December. In following that theme, I encourage you to…Thu, 01 Dec 2016 12:00:00 GMTGame NightBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/monopoly-strategy/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/monopoly-strategy/I introduced Monopoly to my 4 year old Isaac, and my 6 year old Josh.We picked guys, and Isaac said. “I want to be this trash can.” (apparently, we haven’t introduced them to thimbles.) Monopoly…Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/30/ticket-to-ride/When I hear Ticket to Ride, I can’t help but start humming the old Beatles song. “She’s got a Ticket to Ri-ide”. Now that that is sufficiently stuck in your head, we are ready to figure out the…Wed, 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/29/stratego/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/29/stratego/In the old days there were really only a few games that everyone owned. The main ones are still best sellers today. (Monopoly, Risk, Stratego, Battleship, Scrabble). I played these games over and…Tue, 29 Nov 2016 12:00:00 GMTStrategyBrandon Stokerhttps://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/28/first-blog-post/https://boardgamestrategy.blog/2016/11/28/first-blog-post/This is the excerpt for your very first post.Mon, 28 Nov 2016 12:00:00 GMTTheoryBrandon Stoker