Table-top gaming is replacing mall-hopping in Bengaluru

Do you know what happened when 'Cleopatra and The Architects' crossed the 'Bridges of Shangri-La' to enter the 'Forbidden Island' to seize the 'Dragon's Gold'?

Honestly , there is no answer. But you just got a teaser of Bengaluru's latest weekend hobby.

Bengaluru's working professionals and students are happy to give malls and movies a miss to catch up over a board game. In just two years, the trend has gathered momentum, giving birth to groups which religiously meet for gaming holidays, gaming weekends and even professional tournaments -creating a new community. Avid gamer Sushant Sharma, who works at Goldman Sachs, is a member of Banashankari-based Waterfront Board Gaming."Board games tickle my brain. It is not a monetary activity like Poker. I meet like minded people from varied streams like doctors, lawyers and adventure junkies. We book plays, watch movies and dine out," says the 29-year-old.

Most of these games involve strategising, which gamers feel helps them at work too. Agrees gamer Sushmita Vigraham, a merchandiser at Marks & Spencer. "Tzolkin is an employee management game where one applies logic by penning down a plan. The game has taught me to prioritise during a crisis at work," explains the 26-year-old, who watches Youtube tutorials as homework before attending a game session.



(Image: BCCL)


With the city expressing keen interest, many official and non-official groups are organising a slew of activities.

Fiat Café Car-O-Bar, which hosted a tournament in April, has created a group. Called Bangalore Gamers and Partyholics, it already has 100 members on board. They have access to about 60 games with dedicated nights on Tuesday and Friday . Predicting the rise of board games as a welcome break from the current online craze, Pooja Dwivedi, executive director of the gaming café, says, "Beer and board games make a perfect marriage for Bengaluru which has a diverse audience." While Catan is a popular game, Dwivedi says that Codenames featuring spy masters will be a hit at every party soon.

Meanwhile, Bangalore Board & Card Gamers is the city's largest group with 2,600 members, 400 games and master-trainers who meet every Tuesday at gaming café Dice N Dine in Koramangala. Owner Arun Prabhu says, "We have corporates, college students and families who play. Corporate houses like Morgan Stanley and KPMG are regulars."

Online forums and board-game designers keep Prabhu in sync with new games, that cost up to Rs 6,000. He is planning a tournament in June with locations across the city .

Waterfront Board Gaming takes its gaming sessions to nearby holiday destinations. "Last year, we went to Yercaud. Now, we are planning Chickmagalur in August," says founder Pradyot Anand, a corporate development consultant at Dell.

Indeed. Much has evolved since the days of Snake & Ladder and Chinese Checkers.



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