Board Game Terms

to rotate something so that it is facing a different direction or is in a different position

He turned the vase to display the flowers from a different angle.

to catch an animal or a person and keep them as a prisoner

The zookeepers capture wild animals for conservation purposes.

to change your position or location

She moved quickly to avoid the falling object.

an area where troops and equipment in transit are assembled before a military operation

a capture when an opponent's game piece is blocked on adjacent sides by two or more of the capturing player's pieces. The blocked piece is then removed from the game board as a result of the capture

The player managed a custodian capture by surrounding the opponent’s piece with two of their own.

a capture method used in some board games where a player's game piece is removed from the board and replaced by the capturing player's piece

In the game, he used a displacement capture to take his opponent's piece and move his own into its place.

a man's snug-fitting jacket, originating in the 14th century, that is worn over a shirt and underneath a coat

one of three offspring born at the same time from the same pregnancy

a collection of data stored together in a computer, under a particular name

After finishing the design, she saved the file as a PNG.

the set of activities, actions, and interactions that take place during the course of a board game or video game

The gameplay of this board game is simple but very engaging, making it fun for all ages.

a disposition toward kindness, compassion, or goodwill

a condition that impairs a person's mental or physical functions

a state of irritation or annoyance

(of a situation) completely under one's control

She has the project in hand and is confidently leading the team.

the ability of a player to capture an opponent's game piece that has just made a capture move, by moving one of their own pieces to a square adjacent to the captured piece

After losing a piece, Sarah used an intervention capture to take one of Tom’s pieces right after he captured hers.

a rule used to determine who plays first in the game, and to ensure that the starting player does not have an unfair advantage over their opponent

At the start of the game, Mark made his first move, but Alice decided to use the pie rule and switched it up.

to position someone or something on a scale based on importance, quality, etc.

The competition judges will rank the dancers based on their technique and performance.

to take something or someone away from a place or situation and move them to a different one

They want to bear off the old furniture from the room.

a person who abandons their duty (as on a military post)

a central reserve or stockpile of unused tiles, cards, or pieces that players can draw from during the game when they need additional resources or replacements

She drew a tile from the boneyard when she couldn't make a move with the pieces in her hand.

a chain reaction where players set up a line of dominoes to knock one another down in a visually pleasing way

He spent hours setting up the domino toppling display, only to watch it fall in seconds.