🎲 Board game night checklist

Most board game nights fail on logistics rather than on the games — enough seating, table space and food you don't need a knife for.

17 items

1. Two or three games chosen in advanceDeciding on the night just adds twenty minutes nobody enjoys.
2. One simple game to open withWarms the group up before anything with a longer rulebook.
3. Enough chairs for everyone, plus oneFor the person who arrives fifteen minutes late.
4. A table big enough for the box and everyone's handsA coffee table looks fine until four players and a board are all reaching for it at once.
5. Good lighting over the tableSmall print on cards is unreadable the moment the room lights are low and cosy.
6. Snacks that don't need a fork or a knife
7. Drinks poured before the game startsA knocked-over glass mid-game is the one thing nobody can undo.
8. Rules re-read the day before by whoever's teachingExplaining a rule half-remembered wastes more time than reading it properly first.
9. Score pad and a pen
10. Phone timer, if any of the games need one
11. CoastersProtects the board and cards from drink rings as much as the table.
12. Playlist decided in advance, kept lowBackground, not competition for attention.
13. Rubbish bin or bag kept near the table for wrappers
14. A backup plan if someone drops outA game that still works with one fewer player, sorted before it's needed.
15. Table cleared and set up before guests arrive
16. Cluttered surfaces cleared away first
17. A cloth or mat down, if it's a table you'd mind marking