Boardgames To Go
Mark Johnson's occasional & opinionated podcast about family strategy boardgames
Episodes
In the old days of this podcast, I often offered an "Essen Anticipation" episode. That's where I would browse the various previews and other scraps of info about the many games being shown at Essen each October. Besides the enjoyable "window shopping" or wishlist-ing of it all, sometimes I even tried to analyze how accurate or useful my anticipation was, judging which games proved to be keepers (or at least fun to play someone's co...
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners.
Which is more elegant? Perhaps they both are?
Opener: Thief's Market
Closer: 3D printing and game aids/enhancements
During the summer I always get in plenty of gaming…but not always with my normal game group. Often I'm away on vacation, or at a game convention. Or they are. Regardless, it means I get together with those local friends a little less often, and I miss it. Of course I enjoy going on my own vacations, but it'll also be nice when t...
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners.
Openers:
Mark: Kraftwagen and old podcasts like CubeLove
Jonathan: Cocktail Games, and what will I do when the "old masters" pass away?
Closers:
Jonathan: Do we have too many good games? Here's what Bruno Faidutti says. scroll down for English
Ma...
Opener: Another online Games Day for podcast listeners
Closer: Games BGG-weighted over 4 are never for me! (Never say never...)
The folks on Discord gave me several good ideas for an episode. So good, in fact, that I decided to save them for a time when I could to more prep, have a co-host, or both. That meant I needed something else to feature this time. Since I often talk about the old&n...
Opener: I encourage listeners to join me at the OG guild's online game convention, OG Fest: Maispiele
Within the last month I turned 60. Does that make me old? Officially? Whether it does or not, I'm still playing games. Which is what I discuss in this episode--what it's like to turn 60 in this hobby, as well as reflecting on what it was like when I turned 50, 40, 30, 20, 10...and even 0! Those were all pers...
My annual Mark Madness contest is over, and co-host Adam Brocker joins me to wrap it up. Adam won the prediction contest last year, and this was his prize...a side job to work with me! Now we have a new winner, Mark363, who I am working to locate. If he's willing, in 2027 he will join me to run the next version of this contest.
In 2026 Adam had suggested we take a closer look at games that were designed by pairs or teams of designe...
For the third year in a row I made it to Dice Tower West. Not only that, I enjoyed that convention with DaveO and other buddies. Not only that, but once again DaveO was my partner-in-crime for insisting we dedicate one day of our convention to focus on older boardgames. By "old" we mean games that are at least 25 years old. When we started this tradition that mean games published in in the last century, last millenium--1999 or...
The Sweet 16 is already done and we're on to the Elite Eight. That means just two remaining titles in each of our four divisions, so almost like a mini, division-level championship in each one.
BGTG 252C - Mark Madness 2026 (2nd Round [of 32])
1st round votes are in, now each successive round moves quickly—just three days. 2nd round voting due March 18 at noon BGG-time in Texas (UTC-5).
How are you voting? For the games you enjoy the most or the ones you predicted to win (based on what you imagined OTHERS would vote for)? I've heard the latter is like how a political prima...
The first round is underway! Go vote at https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/375187/mark-madness-2026-designer-teams
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners.
Play along and predict the winners at https://challonge.com/MarkMadness2026
Predictions must be submitted by March 13 to be in the contest
Opener: 7 Wonders Dice
Closer: Mark Madness 2026 (with Adam Brocker) preview - Register for free and make your predictions at https://challonge.com/MarkMadness2026!
I've recently come back from a vacation in Germany. Once upon a time in this hobby, that really meant something significant. Germany was the worldwide headquarters and creative generator for boardgaming. Gamers in other countr...
Openers: The Hobbit: There and Back Again, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Trick-Taking Game
Although it's true that episode #250 is a milestone, this podcast passed that some time ago. Between all of the extra episodes for BGGcons and Mark Madnesses, plus the occasional double-episodes in the old days, I don't know how many podcasts have actually been released. (My podcast host Libsyn says ...
Here we are at another season already. The podcast has now reached it's 22nd season, which is a small miracle. We just keep chugging along. If anything, I think it now has a solid core of listeners and participants that feel like they're going to stick with me. :-)
With BGStats, it's now even easier for me to see my final tallies for the games I played last year. Plus, I can separate out the digital ones from th...
Opener: Please send in your comments, questions, or suggestions for next month's Feedback-focused episode
Closer: When do you opt out of game night?
Every year I pay special attention to Fairplay magazine's booth at Essen. In recent years, they've been great about sharing their Scoutaktion results on social media, too. Fairplay is primarily a German language print magazine for our hobby, b...
Opener: The games we played at the second BGTG Online Mini-Con
Closer: Essen is almost here, and I'll still follow it (but not anticipate it)
For a long time I've wanted to have a boardgamer's discussion about different sports...as games. I don't mean sp...
Reminder! Please join other podcast listeners for the next online BGTG Mini-Con, scheduled for September 6. I plan to be online from 9am-9pm Pacific time, including the Boardgames To Go discord server for voice & video. The games ...
Announcement! Please join other podcast listeners for the next online BGTG Mini-Con, scheduled for September 6. I plan to be online from 9am-9pm Pacific time, including Discord for voice & video. The games will mostly be played on BoardgameArena, but adventurous gamers can also use Yucata, Brettspielwelt, Boardgames.io, Steam, apps, or whatever. It's free, and no RSVP or signup is necessary.
Open...
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