Traditional Wooden Games

Before video games, before even playing cards, humankind played with wood, stones and bones. Traditional wooden games are an extraordinarily rich part of the world's cultural heritage. From African oware to Chinese mahjong, from French trictrac to Indian pachisi, these games have come through thousands of years without going out of fashion — because they are fundamentally good games.

Mahjong — China, 19th century

Mahjong is arguably the most popular tabletop game in East Asia, with hundreds of millions of players. Born in China in the 19th century (although its exact origins are debated), it is played with 144 tiles in bone, bamboo, jade or resin, decorated with Chinese characters and symbols.

Mahjong is usually played by four players. The aim is to build a complete hand (mahjong) by collecting runs and sets of three identical tiles. It is a game that combines strategy, memory and an element of luck.

A quality traditional mahjong set is a magnificent object, often presented in a lacquered case. It also makes an excellent gift for lovers of games from other cultures.

Oware (Mancala) — Africa, Antiquity

Oware (also called awele or awalé depending on the region) is the most widespread form of the great mancala family — among the oldest board games known. Boards carved into rock have been found in Ethiopia and Eritrea (Matara, Yeha), dated to the 6th–7th centuries AD; older traces in the Near East remain debated.

The game is played on an oval board with two rows of 6 pits and 48 seeds. The principle: players sow seeds from one pit to the next in an anticlockwise direction, capturing their opponent's seeds under certain conditions. Simple to learn, extremely deep to master.

Mikado — Europe, 19th century

Mikado (also called jackstraws or pick-up sticks) is a game of skill for 2 to 6 players. A bundle of coloured sticks is dropped in a jumble on the table, and players then remove one stick at a time without moving the others. The sticks are worth different points according to their colour — the “mikado” is worth the most.

In luxury versions, the sticks are made of varnished fine wood lacquered in bright colours. A quality wooden mikado set is beautiful to look at and a real pleasure to play.

Peg Solitaire — Europe, 17th century

Peg solitaire is played alone on a drilled wooden board with marbles or pegs. The classic board has 33 holes arranged in a cross. You start with every hole filled except the centre, and the aim is to reduce the board to a single marble, ideally in the centre.

Its popularity in Europe dates from the 17th century — it was much enjoyed at the court of Louis XIV. A wooden solitaire board is a classic gift for anyone who enjoys a logic challenge.

3D Noughts and Crosses (3D Connect Four)

3D games on wooden boards have grown in popularity. Three-dimensional noughts and crosses is played over several levels, multiplying the strategic possibilities. A quality wooden tower also makes an elegant decorative piece in a living room.

Tangram — China, early 19th century

The tangram is a puzzle of 7 geometric pieces (cut from a square) that must be put together to form different silhouettes. More than 6,000 different configurations exist. In wood, it is as much an educational game for children as a relaxing puzzle for adults.

Jacquet and Trictrac

Jacquet and trictrac are the historic French variants of backgammon. They use the same board and equipment, but with different rules. Very popular in France until the 19th century, they are enjoying renewed interest among lovers of traditional games. See our guide to backgammon variants for the detailed rules.

Where can you find quality wooden games?

Quality wooden board games are mainly sold by specialists. Le Palais des Echecs offers a fine selection of traditional wooden games, including backgammon, draughts, dominoes and traditional mahjong sets.

Why choose wooden games over digital ones?

In an all-digital age, wooden games offer something irreplaceable:

• Real social contact: people gather round a table, face to face
• Switching off: a break from constant connectivity
• Tactile pleasure: the joy of handling beautiful objects
• Heritage: playing by rules that have come down through the centuries
• Durability: a good wooden set lasts 50 years or more