When people search for master games, most are looking for one thing: a game worth getting genuinely good at. The games below were chosen on three criteria - simple rules, lasting strategic depth and an active community of strong players you can learn from.
Quick picks
- Deepest board game: Go
- Best for studying master games: Chess
- Best luck-and-skill mix: Backgammon
- Best two-player card game: Cribbage
- Best dexterity game: Crokinole
Board games that take a lifetime to master
1. Chess
The benchmark master game. Centuries of recorded games mean you can study how world champions played every type of position. Start with our guide to studying chess master games.
2. Go
Two players place black and white stones to surround territory. The rules fit on a single page, yet top-level Go is regarded as the deepest classic board game in the world.
3. Backgammon
Dice add luck to every turn, but over many games skill dominates. Masters calculate risk, use the doubling cube and know when to race or hold. Learn backgammon.
4. Checkers (draughts)
Often dismissed as a children's game, checkers has a deep endgame theory and a long history of championship play. International draughts on a 10x10 board is deeper still.
5. Shogi
Japanese chess, where captured pieces can be dropped back onto the board as your own. Games rarely simplify, so the tactics stay sharp until the end.
6. Xiangqi
Chinese chess is played on the intersections of a board split by a river. It is fast, tactical and played by millions across Asia.
7. Othello (Reversi)
Flip your opponent's discs by flanking them. The marketing slogan "a minute to learn, a lifetime to master" is closely tied to Othello for good reason.
8. Mancala (Oware)
One of the oldest game families in the world. Counting and sowing seeds rewards calculation and planning several moves ahead.
Card games worth mastering
9. Contract bridge
A partnership game of bidding and card play. Bridge is often compared to chess for depth, with the added challenge of communicating with a partner through the auction.
10. Cribbage
The pegging board, the crib and the "fifteen two" count make cribbage instantly recognisable. Choosing which cards to discard is where masters gain their edge. Learn cribbage.
11. Poker (Texas Hold'em)
Probability, psychology and bankroll discipline. The rules are simple; reading situations correctly is a lifetime project.
12. Spades
A trick-taking partnership game where accurate bidding matters as much as card play.
13. Hearts
Avoid penalty cards - unless you go for "shooting the moon". Counting cards and passing well separate strong players from lucky ones.
14. Gin rummy
A fast two-player game about building melds and reading what your opponent is collecting from their discards.
15. Solitaire (Klondike)
The single-player classic. Thoughtful play - especially managing the stock and freeing face-down cards - wins far more games than random moves.
Tile and dexterity games
16. Mahjong
Collect sets and sequences of tiles to build a winning hand. Regional rule sets vary, but all reward memory and reading the discards.
17. Dominoes
Matching tiles end to end looks simple, but tracking which numbers are left is a real skill. Learn dominoes.
18. Scrabble
Vocabulary helps, but board control, rack management and knowing the short words are what make Scrabble masters.
19. Crokinole
Flick wooden discs toward the centre of a round board. Precision and shot selection make it as competitive as it is fun. Learn crokinole.
20. Carrom
Popular across South Asia, carrom uses a striker to pocket pieces. Angles and touch take years to perfect.
Video games with master-level depth
21. Tetris
Seven pieces, one rule. Competitive Tetris players have pushed the classic far beyond what its designers imagined.
22. Fighting games
Street fighting series and their rivals combine reaction time with deep matchup knowledge. Every frame counts.
23. Real-time strategy
RTS games demand macro planning and micro control at the same time - one of the most demanding skill sets in gaming.
24. Speedrunning classics
Retro games like those on the Sega Master System become entirely new challenges when you play them for time.
25. Online "master" games
Casual archery, fishing and puzzle games with "Master" in the name reward the same habits: learning the physics, planning ahead and reviewing mistakes. See our guide to master games online.
How we chose these master games
Every game on this list can be learned in a single session, has strategy that keeps improving with study, and has a community of experienced players who publish games, guides or tournaments. That last point matters: you improve fastest when you can see how masters play. When you have picked your game, use our routine for how to master any game.
