Gamers are a loyal lot—it’s not just rain that drives them to board games. In fact, game nights have become one of the ‘must-dos’ on the lists of many groups of friends. Journalist Aveek Chatterjee has regular Monopoly nights with his friends. “We used to talk about how much we all enjoyed Monopoly as kids and then we decided to just get a set and start playing. It’s amazing how much fun it is and how the game has evolved. The latest version uses credit cards, with a special battery-charged credit card reader instead of cash and it’s quite an experience—familiar yet novel.”

Another fan is Tarun Durga, creative head of Zapak Games, who hosts the fortnightly Board Games Bash in the city. “I got into board gaming because I got so tired of playing with pixels. I set out to find other people who shared my enthusiasm and publicised the idea on Facebook. I found lots of takers and now we have over 20 regulars, who also keep bringing their friends along.” Durga organises events for the “masses” with games like Scrabble and Taboo and special nights for hard-core fans with lesser known games like Zombies and Fluxx.

Whether it’s a high-strategy game like Risk or a straightforward one like Snakes and Ladders, board gaming becomes much more than about winning and losing. As Chatterjee points out, “Board games are fun because there’s something to argue about, which means there’s always something to talk about and bond over.” In the world of games, it would seem, friction strengthens friendships.