Pick your pawn, Cochranites – there’s a burgeoning board game group in town that’s open to all.
The Cochrane Board Game Group Facebook page is home to over 270 board game enthusiasts of all ages, who meet monthly at the Cochrane Alliance Church for a day of friendly gameplay – and perhaps above all else, to socialize and meet new people.
“This has just been a really good outlet to get around the table,” said group founder Jason Kersey. “And the thing I like about [meeting] the most is, I’d say 90 per cent of the time, it doesn’t involve phones. Everyone’s sitting around the table actually engaging with other people on a social level.”
Kersey started the group in August 2019. For a while, he said the group sat at around 40 members, mostly consisting of friends and a few other board game enthusiasts.
To his disbelief, he said it grew quickly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, despite the group being unable to host their meet-ups in person.
“I really do feel, especially over the last three years, that there is a big niche in Cochrane for board games,” said Kersey. “There’s a lot of interest out there.”
Now that they’re able to meet in-person again, the group hopes to expand their reach.
Kersey, who has a personal collection of about 225 games, brings a selection of titles appropriate for a wide range of skill levels and interests to every meeting. Other members are also encouraged to bring games to add to the variety.
People can come and go as they please over the course of the meet-up’s six-hour window from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free range to play any of the titles on offer. They also often host raffles for game giveaways.
Recently, the group also began hosting a monthly ‘Pint and Play,’ at Lucky Penny Pizza that is open to adults only.
While titles like Monopoly and Connect 4 have their place on the market, Kersey stressed how far board games have come over the years and says there is something out there for everyone.
He carries some of the classics, too, but Kersey said many of the more distinctive games found in his collection were purchased through crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter.
“I tend to get more of my unique ones from there,” he said. “Because they’ll do like deluxe skins with upgraded components and kind of fancy things like that, which again, [they] aren’t necessary, but as a true geek, I tend to like stuff like that.”
There are some who might turn their nose up at the thought of playing games, believing the activities are “for kids,” added the group founder.
“Because of the evolution of board games … it’s funny to me the comparisons that people make because there are some pretty elaborate games,” he said.
“Some replicate video games or things like that, which you wouldn’t think would work, but the designers out there have found some amazing mechanics and just ways to make board games work at a higher level.”
There is a demand from the group’s members to host game nights during the week, according to Kersey, but he’s found it difficult to meet those requests with a full-time job and four young kids – it was another member of the group that took on the responsibility of hosting the Pint and Play events, he added.
In an effort to grow the group, Kersey said anyone who wants and is willing to try to plan events outside of their regular meet-ups is welcome to volunteer.
It also helps when others can bring a variety of their own games, he said.
For more information about the Cochrane Board Game Group and to check out a list of events, visit their Facebook page. According to their Facebook their next event is slated for July 9 at 10 a.m. at the Cochrane Alliance Church.
