Master Games, One Rule at a Time
Rules you can teach in five minutes and strategy that takes a lifetime. Learn to play classic table games, study famous chess master games and level up in your favourite online games.
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Top 25Master Games List: 25 Games That Take a Lifetime to Master
The best master games ranked: 25 board, card, tile and video games that are easy to learn but take a lifetime to master, with what makes each one deep.
Study methodHow to Study Master Games in Chess
Learn how to study chess master games effectively: choose annotated games, use the guess-the-move method and build your own master games file.
BackgammonHow to Play Backgammon
Learn how to play backgammon step by step: board setup, moving checkers, hitting blots, bearing off, the doubling cube, gammons and beginner strategy.
Bringing players together through games worth mastering
The best games share one quality: you can learn them in an evening and still be discovering new ideas years later. Master Games is a library of guides built around that idea. We explain the rules clearly, then show you the strategy that separates casual players from masters.
Start with how-to-play guides for classics like backgammon, cribbage, dominoes and crokinole, sharpen your chess by studying famous master games, or learn how to be a game master for your tabletop group.
Why Master Games?
Rules you can teach in minutes
Every how-to-play guide starts with setup and the goal, then the turn sequence - the order you actually need when a new player sits down.
Strategy from real master games
We study the games of strong players and explain the ideas behind the moves, not just the moves themselves.
Tested at the table
Guides are written by players, checked against official rulebooks, and updated when rules or game versions change.
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Classics10 Famous Chess Master Games Every Player Should Study
10 famous chess master games to study, from the Immortal Game and Opera Game to Fischer's Game of the Century, with the lesson each one teaches.
Study methodHow to Study Master Games in Chess
Learn how to study chess master games effectively: choose annotated games, use the guess-the-move method and build your own master games file.
PracticeHow to Master Any Game: A 5-Step Practice Routine
How to master games of any kind with a 5-step routine: learn fundamentals, practise deliberately, review losses, study masters, play stronger opponents.
Top 25Master Games List: 25 Games That Take a Lifetime to Master
The best master games ranked: 25 board, card, tile and video games that are easy to learn but take a lifetime to master, with what makes each one deep.
BackgammonHow to Play Backgammon
Learn how to play backgammon step by step: board setup, moving checkers, hitting blots, bearing off, the doubling cube, gammons and beginner strategy.
CribbageHow to Play Cribbage
Learn how to play cribbage: the deal, the crib, pegging to 31, counting fifteens, pairs, runs, flushes and nobs, plus tips to win more games.