Number of players: 4(2 teams of 2)
Type of game: Dice Period: 1100+

Shut the Box is a traditional dice game that dates back several centuries and has been popular in English pubs and households. It is a simple yet engaging game of chance and strategy where players aim to “shut” (flip down) all numbered tiles by rolling dice and matching the sum to open tiles.

History of Shut the Box

• Origins: Thought to have originated in France or England during the 12th to 18th centuries.

Game: Tarok
Type: Trick-taking card game
Players: Typically 3 or 4
Equipment: 54- or 78-card Tarot deck (depending on the regional variant)
Origin: 15th century Italy, flourishing in Central Europe by the 18th century
Other Names: Tarock, Tarot (game), Königrufen, Tapp Tarock, Bavarian Tarock

Historical Background

Tarok developed from early Italian trick-taking games using the tarot deck, including Trionfi. By the 18th and 19th centuries, Austrian and German variants had formalised into distinct games. Tarok’s popularity endured in Central Europe even as it faded elsewhere, especially in forms like Königrufen (Austria) and Tapp Tarock (Bavaria and beyond). These versions incorporated refined bidding systems, partnerships, and contracts, making Tarok one of the most strategically rich pre-modern card games.

Game: Wari
Type: Traditional mancala game
Players: 2
Equipment: Mancala board with 2 rows of 6 pits, 48 seeds or stones (4 per pit)
Origin: West Africa, especially Ghana and Nigeria
Other Names: Oware, Awalé, Warri, Ayo, Ouril, Adi, Wali, Awele, Wale

Historical Background

Wari is one of the oldest and most widespread mancala-style games, with a heritage tracing back thousands of years across West Africa. It is particularly associated with the Akan people of Ghana and is considered the national game of several countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Cape Verde (where it is called Ouril). Its spread via trade routes and the African diaspora led to variants being played in the Caribbean, South America, and parts of the Middle East. Wari’s enduring appeal comes from its blend of simple mechanics and deep strategy.

Number of players: 2
Type of game: Boardgame
Period: 1500+

Fox and Geese is a classic asymmetrical board game of strategy and cunning, played between one player controlling a fox and another controlling a gaggle of geese. The game is a descendant of Norse tafl games and was popular in mediaeval and early modern Europe.

History of Fox and Geese

• Mediaeval Roots: The game emerged in medieval northern Europe, evolving from older Viking tafl games around the 13th century.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1552

Novem-Cinque (Latin for Nine-Five) is an ancient Roman dice game of chance, likely played for wagers and amusement in taverns, camps, and homes across the Empire. Though the exact rules are lost to time, the name suggests a focus on the numbers 9 and 5, with reconstructions drawing from Roman gambling practices.

History of Novem-Cinque

• Cultural Context: Played in the Roman Empire, likely during the Imperial period.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1552

Liar’s Dice is a classic bluffing and deduction game played with dice hidden beneath cups. Each player must guess how many dice showing a certain face value are present across all players’ cups—but without knowing anyone else’s dice. Players bluff, challenge, and try to outwit each other to be the last one with dice remaining.

History of Liar’s Dice

• Origins: Likely derived from Perudo or Dudo, a South American game with Incan roots.

Number of players: 5 originally. Optional rules for 3,4 or 6
Type of game: Card
Period: 1500s

Laugh and Lie Down is a 16th-century English gambling game for five players using a standard 52-card deck. It’s a game of matching pairs and sets, with an early form of pool betting. Simple to learn but chaotic to play, it blends elements of chance, strategy, and social drama—perfect for taverns and long evenings.

Number of players: 4
Type of game: Card
Period: 1600-1800 Reversis is a 16th-century trick-taking card game of Spanish origin that became fashionable throughout Europe, particularly in France and Italy. As its name suggests, Reversis is all about reversing the usual trick-taking goal: players aim to avoid winning tricks, especially certain undesirable cards. It’s a game of avoidance, misdirection, and cunning—often seen as an ancestor of games like Hearts.

History of Reversis

• Origin: Likely developed in Spain during the late 1500s.

Number of players: 2-4 Type of game: Boardgame
Period:

Thayam is a traditional South Indian board game, especially popular in Tamil Nadu. It is a race game similar in concept to Pachisi or Ludo, involving strategy and chance, where players race their tokens around a track based on dice rolls.

History of Thayam

• Origins: Played in South India for centuries, with roots in traditional folk culture.

• Cultural Significance: Often played during festivals and family gatherings.