Hosting and Happy Players – Top 10 Tips for Hosting Game Hangouts

Ultimately, It is All About Fun

Rebel Princess: Deluxe Edition has become one of my go-to games to bring out now.
I have a lot of lists that I have put together and am thinking about writing on any given day, especially to ensure that I’m not scrambling to put something together the day before a post is supposed to go live. It’s my attempt to make writing this blog easier and I’ll have something close to 10 or so different lists prepared at any given time for me to write about.

Naturally this means that I have quite a few thoughts on various board-game related topics and I think that I have enjoyed writing them immensely, so I figured “why not continue the trend?”

Today I thought that I would write about some things that I have learned when it comes to hosting game nights. This post comes from pretty specific points in the last few years where I have (often unsuccessfully for one reason or another) attempted to host a board game connection point, either as a dinner, or lunch, or what have you. To call them “Rules” might be a bit of a stretch, but you can think of this as ten separate pieces of advice to pick and choose from when attempting to host a board game group.

I look forward to hearing some of your ideas and “rules” that you have when hosting a get together, so please feel free to share your wisdom in the comments below.

#1 – Send out invitations a decent time in advance or have a standing date that players can plan for.

Plan out the party in advance to ensure that it doesn’t get missed. ( shown)
There is a very important reason that this is my number one suggestion for planning a get together with board games. Especially with how busy my family is, with two kiddos at 5 and under, while working a full time job, time is often at a premium, so planning ahead is very important. This also goes hand in hand with my ADHD as I will often forget to do things, so if I plan them out, it’s more likely to occur. Having a calendar handy that keeps track of my schedule is a must, especially since I’ll forget almost as soon as I make plans.

On the opposite side of the coin, planning in advance or having a standing connection time (i.e. something like the “second Sunday of the month”) is also a great way to ensure that the people you want to come set the time aside. I usually try to send out invitations at least two weeks to a month in advance (closer to a month if I can remember) so people are able to put it on their calendar. I know, especially for those of my friends with kiddos, having advance notice is extremely helpful, due to scheduling around their kiddo’s activities.

#2 – Offer a wide variety of games for all player levels and times.

 is a great dexterity game that’s easy to learn and teach, and also really fun.
This point actually pairs well into a later point, which I will get into further down the list, but one thing that I have found that has been important is offering a smattering of games that could be played by any group. There naturally will be a specific penchant for some individuals to prefer heavier strategy games or lighter party games, so offering several games that fit a few different categories is important.

Naturally once you get to know your regular gaming group, this will be less of an issue, but for those who are hosting for a large number of people that have unknown preferences, having a large selection is always smart. It also might be dependent upon time as well, so having games that offer a wide variety of time both for the teaching and playing of the game is important as well.

#3 – Limit the number of games that can be chosen to play.

Even this number of games can be overwhelming, and this is in 2024 (my collection is much bigger now).
Piggybacking off the previous point, limiting the available selection for potential new players can be important. Naturally, as typical BGG users, collections average around 101-147 total games in a collection (at least according to, and that can be pretty overwhelming visually for guests. Pairing down the selection of games to a series of suggestions will help prevent guests from being overwhelmed by the selection available.

It’s a well known secret that grocery stores are designed in such a way to visually overstimulate the shopper to get them to buy more (that and several other sneaky psychological tricks), but that’s not the goal of a board game event. Overwhelming players with a large number of options will not only frustrate them, but also be counterproductive to getting a game to the table efficiently. Limiting games on offer helps reduce that frustration and offers a tighter experience.

#4 – Prepare to teach the rules for the game, either personally or via a third-party video.

I love Everdell and feel confident teaching it, but definitely wouldn’t be an easy one to do so.
This is one I personally feel is important, especially when it comes to more medium-weight games. I enjoy playing games and even reading through rulebooks, but when it comes to teaching games, I suffer from the ADHD paradox. While I am very excited about the game and teaching it to new players, it often is that same excitement that prevents me from effectively helping new players to learn a game. I’ll often jump around in the rulebook, attempting to explain everything at once, and my poor players often will miss important details as I forgot them during my explanation.

This is why I usually try to default to a “How it’s Played” video by Rodney Smith, or the incredible team over at Meeple University to teach new players how to play a game. If it’s a game that I am extremely familiar with, such as, I might be a bit more inclined to teach the game due to my familiarity, but the same issue could come up due to me not thinking of specific rules due to the familiarity with the game. A video, especially a short one, is great at teaching a game without getting too deep into the weeds and limiting the available information for my players.

#5 – Give multiple separate areas for players to use, if possible.

A small game, like could easily fit on a coffee table.
If your party is large enough, it might be worth it to set up multiple areas that players can play games at. At our house, we have the main table which is a board game table through Allplay, but we also have a smaller coffee table that’s perfect for smaller games or party games. This allows us to set up multiple game spaces for a few separate games in case someone really doesn’t feel like playing a game that others would like to play.

Additionally, having multiple areas to play games allows for a larger group to be made if a party game is chosen, and having an area where everyone can sit and be comfortable, rather than crowding around a table, is not a bad idea. There’s so many different factors that can come into playing games, but this is one that I have not regretted whenever I’ve made it available. People naturally split into smaller groups as it’s easier to have conversations, so having multiple areas to use is smart.

#6 – Connect with your guests to see if they have any expectations for the night.

Do they want to play party games, or a medium-weight game like Windmill Valley?
Pairing with the second point, once everyone has arrived, I like to check what the general consensus is before offering a smattering of games to play. Depending on the group structure or size, that can potentially offer multiple options to play. Getting to know what your friends and players are familiar with or if they have any specific games that they want to try or they themselves have brought is always a good idea.

Having a discussion before the shindig gets going, or even talking about it over opening snacks/meal is a great opportunity to get a feel for what the players are looking for. I know that those that aren’t familiar with games can feel overwhelmed, so offering them an opportunity to share their experience with games is a way to help connect everyone at the gathering and offer a greater shared experience.

#7 – Prepare a playlist for the party of appropriate music that’s both fun but also able to be played in the background.

I’ll tailor my music selection to what’s playing, like an old-school video game playlist for
While the other points are pretty general and might have been noted by others in the past, this is one that I know is purely my point and can be pointed to my music brain. Have a playlist of songs that can be played in the background to add some atmosphere and ambiance to the gameplay experience.

I personally like to tailor the music being played with the type of game that is chosen (such as choosing creepy music for, but if that’s not your thing, having a chill playlist in the background is also another good option. Soft jazz or lofi music is great for adding some ambiance and background noise to help fill in those awkward thinking times during games. I stand heavily behind this suggestion as I think it just adds that little bit of jes ne sais quoi to the party.

#8 – Set expectations for the party, including house rules and proper etiquette.

With how much we’ve played , reminders to treat the cards nicely is important.
This might seem like a rehash of the “find out people’s expectations of the night” point, but it’s actually the opposite side of the coin. I am highly protective of my board games, especially when it comes to wear and tear. I hate it when people riffle shuffle the cards and heaven forbid that someone dare have a glass near the game that could potentially spill and ruin the game pieces. Making sure that people are aware of the expectations at the beginning of the night can go a long way of reducing your stress during the game, especially with those chronic riffle shufflers.

I also like to make people aware of any house rules and expectations that are adopted for the game or for anything outside of the actual rules of the game we choose. This could be something as simple as limiting turn time to a minute at most, not using phones at the table, or asking players to engage with the group while playing. Verbalizing your specific concerns is important and will help reduce your stress when it comes to playing together.

#9 – Have game-friendly snacks for players.

I want my deluxe copy of to remain looking nice.
People get hungry and thirsty and part of the job of the host of a get together is to ensure that all guests are fed and watered to ensure maximum enjoyment of the party. I like to host regular game lunches where people are fed and we play games after socializing for a bit, but it could be breakfast, dinner or even a snack that could provide sustenance for players. I often request that those attending my get togethers help by bringing a food or drink option to round out the meal, which usually goes over well.

I also make a point to not have any snacks that are sticky, have a residue (like Cheetos), or can get grease all over the game pieces. While pizza might be the quintessential party food, I try to avoid it as much as possible due to the greasy nature of most pizzas. I trust my friends, but I don’t trust them not to get greasy fingerprints on my games, so I generally avoid having it around when we’re playing games. Limiting snacks to things like pretzels, plain popcorn, or even a veggie tray (with no dip) is a good way to keep your board game pieces pristine.

This also goes into the previous point that bringing up what happens with damaged games should a spill occur, might not be a bad idea, especially if something more exotic is eaten or drunk during the game.

#10 – Know that it’s all about having fun, versus winning.

…Unless you’re playing a cutthroat game of (joking)
I have to remind myself of this constantly as I can get very competitive, and it might not be a bad idea to preface the start of a game meetup to state that all games are about having fun. There might be winners and losers in a game, but if that comes at the expense of having fun with those that are around, the entire point of the board game is lost. Being willing to put aside the competitive spirit in the name of fun is definitely something that I stand behind wholeheartedly.

Naturally, if everyone agrees to be hyper competitive, that’s another story and can yield quite a few fun results, but if one person wants to just have fun, it is overall better for the morale of the group just to enjoy themselves. I can be guilty of going overboard when I play with how petty I can be, but if that’s at the expense of someone else’s fun, I try to avoid being too competitive.

Unless it’s Sky Towers. I will be extremely petty and competitive while playing that game.

Final Thoughts

Got a chance to play Captain Sonar last week and it was amazing.
Those are just my 10 tips on hosting board game hangouts (nights, lunches, get togethers, etc.) and what I’ve learned over the last few years of attempting to have a regular game connection point with friends and family. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list and I could probably have written entire pages with each of these 10 tips, but I didn’t want to write more than was necessary as I think quite a few of you will agree with this list.

It’s been interesting seeing my understanding of how best to host a party grow over the last few years and hopefully, I’ll be able to create a nice little community in my hometown in Minnesota over the next few years in regards to Board Games. Who knows, it might even balloon into something bigger than the sum of its parts!