How to Host a Game Night – Thank You for the Great Reviews

When HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT was published nine months ago today, I had no idea how it would be received. To say I’m thrilled with the reaction would be a wild understatement.

In addition to the kind words from people like game designer Alan R. Moon (who called it “an incredibly fun read that’s chock-full of stories, memories, and experiences from gamers … the ultimate guide to gaming.”) and game publisher Justin Jacobson (who said, “Erik’s book is chock full of practical advice presented in a clear, fun way. … There is one sure-fire strategy to hosting the perfect get-together: Buy this book!”), the reviews on Amazon and other websites have been tremendously gratifying.

As of today, HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT has a 4.5-star rating on Amazon, which is amazing to me.

(Although I’m mentioning the reviews on Amazon, HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT is available anywhere you buy books, including amazing local bookstores like Reads & Company in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. To order from a local bookstore, click on IndieBound or Bookshop on this page.)

Tournaments at BoardGameArena – February 2021

I’m a big fan of BoardGameArena, a website where you can play hundreds of different board games and card games for free. (And if you really like BGA, a premium membership is not expensive and has some benefits.) I talk about why I like BGA so much quite a bit in the chapter of my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT that’s about virtual game nights.

Most months at BGA, I set up a bunch of tournaments under the “Pennsylvania Cup” banner. (Which really means nothing; it’s just a fun way to signal that the tournaments are kind of, sort of related. In a way.)

For February 2021, I’ve set up 13 tournaments over at BGA. And you’re invited!

Visual Trivia for Board Gamers

In this game, designed for fans of board games, your challenge is to guess what game is represented in each of the 16 boxes.

The four boxes in the first column include text from the game’s rulebook. The other 12 boxes include a small section of the game box cover.

(Click on the image, or here, for a larger version.)

You get 1 point for each correct answer.

Good luck!

(If you’re reading this on the front page of my website, click through for the answers. Otherwise, scroll down.)

Reminder: Tabletop Games Trivia on 12/30 & 12/31!

Here’s a quick reminder about the tabletop games trivia events I’m hosting on Zoom on Dec. 30 and 31!

This trivia game features five rounds — each completely different from the others, but they all feature visual clues — and it can be played by individuals or by teams. (If you play with a team, just be sure you have a way to consult each other that won’t be heard by others on the Zoom. Discord, texting, and using the private chat feature on Zoom can all work.) The entire game takes between 60 and 90 minutes.

And I’ll send a copy of my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT to the winning player (or the captain of the winning team) at each event!

(NOTE: If you played my earlier tabletop trivia game, good news: This game features 100% new content.)

You can join me at any of these times:

Wed., Dec. 30, at 10 p.m. Eastern U.S. time

Thurs., Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time

There is also an event scheduled for Wed., Dec. 30, at 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time, but it is FULL. If you’re on a team with one or more players already registered for this date and time, send me an email (erik@erikarneson.com). The event scheduled for Thurs., Dec. 31, at 10 p.m. eastern U.S. time was apparently a little too late on New Year’s Eve, so the players who signed up for that time have been moved to Dec. 31 at 8 p.m.

The links above take you to the Zoom registration page for the listed date. After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email that has all the details you need to join.

I hope to see you there!

NOTE: The same trivia game will be played at each session, so there’s no reason to sign up for more than one.

My book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT is now available!

Justin Jacobson, president of Restoration Games, said this about the book: “Whether you’ve hosted a ton of game nights or you’re getting ready for your first, Erik’s book is chock full of practical advice presented in a clear, fun way. Recommendations for games, food, drinks, and music, down to the tiniest details, like seating arrangements, trash talking, and card sleeves. Overwhelmed? Not to worry, there is one sure-fire strategy to hosting the perfect get-together: Buy this book!”

Order your copy (paperback or ebook) today.

15 Tournaments at BoardGameArena

I make no secret of the fact that I’m a big fan of BoardGameArena, a website where you can play hundreds of different board games and card games for free. (And if you really like BGA, a premium membership is not expensive and has some benefits.) I talk about why I like BGA so much quite a bit in the chapter of my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT that’s about virtual game nights.

Most months at BGA, I set up a bunch of tournaments under the “Pennsylvania Cup” banner. (Which really means nothing; it’s just a fun way to signal that the tournaments are kind of, sort of related. In a way.)

This month, I’ve set up a whopping 15 tournaments over at BGA. And you’re invited!

Celebrate the End of 2020 with Board Game Trivia!

If ever there was something to celebrate, it’s the end of 2020… So let’s kiss this year goodbye in style with some great trivia all about tabletop games!

This trivia game features five rounds — each completely different from the others, but they all feature visual clues — and it can be played by individuals or by teams. (If you play with a team, just be sure you have a way to consult each other that won’t be heard by others on the Zoom. Discord, texting, and using the private chat feature on Zoom can all work.) The entire game takes between 60 and 90 minutes.

And I’ll send a copy of my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT to the winning player (or the captain of the winning team) at each event!

(NOTE: If you played my earlier tabletop trivia game, good news: This game features 100% new content.)

You can join me at any of these times:

Wed., Dec. 30, at 10 p.m. Eastern U.S. time

Thurs., Dec. 31, at 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time

Thurs., Dec. 31, at 10 p.m. Eastern U.S. time

There is also an event scheduled for Wed., Dec. 30, at 8 p.m. Eastern U.S. time, but it is FULL. If you’re on a team with one or more players already registered for this date and time, send me an email (erik@erikarneson.com).

The links above take you to the registration page for the listed date. After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email that has all the details you need to join.

I hope to see you there!

NOTE: The same trivia game will be played at each session, so there’s no reason to sign up for more than one.

My book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT is now available!

Justin Jacobson, president of Restoration Games, said this about the book: “Whether you’ve hosted a ton of game nights or you’re getting ready for your first, Erik’s book is chock full of practical advice presented in a clear, fun way. Recommendations for games, food, drinks, and music, down to the tiniest details, like seating arrangements, trash talking, and card sleeves. Overwhelmed? Not to worry, there is one sure-fire strategy to hosting the perfect get-together: Buy this book!”

Order your copy (paperback or ebook) today.

Add “E” to Game Titles

Here’s one for fans of tabletop games!

In this game, you add an “e” to the titles of existing tabletop games to come up with the new versions described here. Note: The “e” can be added anywhere in the title (not just the beginning or end of a word).

The titles included here are all from this great discussion thread on BoardGameGeek. Such a great thread! And it includes many more great ideas.

(Click on the image, or here, for a larger version.)

Good luck!

(If you’re reading this on the front page of my website, click through for the answers. Otherwise, scroll down.)

Author Diary at BoardGameGeek

The fine folks at BoardGameGeek.com have allowed me to go on at some length about the process of writing HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT.

Read my Author Diary here!

BoardGameGeek, if you’re not familiar with it, is an amazing website for fans of board games and card games. (There are two companion sites: RPGGeek and VideoGameGeek.) BGG has far too many features to list here, but the Top 100 Games list (as voted by the users of BGG) is always interesting, as is the page that shows which gaming videos have been the most popular over the past week.

For James Miller

Today is the official release date for my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT, and I’d like to focus a bit on one single page in the book.

The dedication page.

In the first chapter, I quote my good friend James Miller quite a bit. I describe James as “my favorite person to learn a new game from,” which is no exaggeration. He was an absolute master at teaching game rules — and he was very generous in answering a lot of questions so that I could share many of his tips and techniques in the book. (If you knew James, “generous” is no doubt a word you would associate with him as well.)

James was also at the very top of my list of favorite people to play games with. If he had ever said to me, “I found this new game which is a cross between Candy Land and Chutes & Ladders. Do you want to play?” I would answer “yes” with no hesitation. Playing a game with James was guaranteed to be fun.

Board Game Trivia – Tonight on Zoom!

It’s release day for my book HOW TO HOST A GAME NIGHT!

To help celebrate, I’m hosting a free trivia game all about tabletop games tonight on Zoom — please join the fun!

This trivia game features five rounds — each completely different from the others — and it can be played by individuals or by teams. (If you play with a team, just be sure you have a way to consult each other that won’t be heard by others on the Zoom. Discord, texting, and using the private chat feature on Zoom can all work.)

The game starts at 8 p.m. EST and will take a bit over an hour.

I hope to see you there! Register here. After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email that has all the details you need to join.

This game is probably best for people who enjoy modern games like Azul, Pandemic and Ticket to Ride — but there are plenty of questions about classic games, too, along with some multiple choice and 50-50 questions.

If you’re interested in playing but can’t make it tonight — or you want to schedule a private group trivia night, let me know (erik@erikarneson.com) and we’ll make it happen.

NOTE: This is the same trivia game I used at sessions on Oct. 17, 22, and 24, so if you played any of those there’s no reason to join tonight’s game. Unless you just want to hang out with us!