Games are generally grouped into two general categories: competitive or recreational. Competitive games are generally played in public settings, have a high- stakes factor, and usually require a small group of players to participate. Examples include carousels, billiards, video poker, and lawn bowling. These games typically require players to use skill, strategy, and quick decision-making.
On the other hand, recreational games are designed to be played by individuals at leisure. Examples include crossword puzzles, card games, chess, bingo, and outdoor games such as hop-scotch or hide and seek. In this type of game, players compete not for high scores, but for time, difficulty, and strategy. A popular recreational game is backgammon, which requires players to combine their knowledge with physical ability.
Many games employ sets of playing cards, referred to as chips. Chips come in a variety of colors, representing different values. Players add playing cards to their chip stack, one at a time, following the instructions on the card. When they reach a pre-determined number of playing cards, they remove their chip stack and the game is over.
One of the earliest casino games use cards, but the most common use for playing cards today is a set of dominoes. Dominoes are sets of two cards, one face up and the other hidden. The players roll the dominoes through the playing area and the dominoes land on either the “A” facedown side, or the “B” flipped side. Once all of the dominoes are laid out, the last player reveals their cards and the first person that ends up with a single dominoes, wins. Dominoes are available in many different sets, so it’s easy to find the right kind for you.
SIMULATORS AND SIMULATION Games require both strategy and skill, but they are very different. Many people can easily sit down and play a solitaire game, without even trying. However, most people don’t have the skill necessary to come up with a strategy to beat the computer in a chess or Go game. Computer games use a different strategy than games using real people. Games like Monopoly, Risk, Chess, Scrabble, Backgammon, Pac Man, and Scrabble all require players to develop strategies and work together to win.
Dice Games Like dominoes, dice games require a mixture of skill and luck. You’ll quickly learn that the best dice games are the ones that allow you to develop strategies along with luck. For example, there are no god dice, but there are many dice games that rely on dice rolls to make a decision. A good example of a dice game is Old Maid, and the classic dominoes game.