They’re throwing dice but placing no bets. For members of the St. Louis Boardgames Meetup, it’s all just for fun.
By Rob Levy
Photograph by Peter Newcomb
Several times a month, they risk everything to amass fortunes, battle empires, slay monsters, connect rail lines or endure great peril—but despite the presence of dice, cards and wagering, no gaming commission is needed. Welcome to the St. Louis Boardgames Meetup.
Founded more than two years ago by British expat Timothy Hunt and a collective of fellow board-game lovers, the group brings its A-game to local bookstores, homes, coffeehouses and any other place with tables, chairs, caffeine and space to spread out. The meetup has hosted more than 175 events in the St. Louis area and seen its numbers increase from a handful of gaming enthusiasts to more than 300 active members and counting.
Members vary in nationality, age and income; their ranks include students, graphic designers, teachers, artists, real-estate agents and lawyers. Some like to hit all nine monthly meetups, traveling to St. Louis, Frontenac, Creve Coeur and St. Peters to mix with different gamers (and, with any luck, try new games). Others opt to stick with one meetup close to work or home.
As for the games themselves, they come from everywhere and range from such classics as Monopoly to more exotic stuff, like Settlers of Catan. One of the most popular is Power Grid, in which players power up connecting cities. Other favorites include Ubongo, a quick game that one participant refers to as “Tetris on speed”; Acquire, in which players ruthlessly build corporations in a fast-paced knock-’em-out brawl; and Twilight Imperium, a game so expansive, one member swears that it requires “six hours to have a good experience.”
OK, so maybe most members won’t sit hunched over one game for six hours—but they do return week after week, laden with stacks of games to share with kindred spirits. To the unsuspecting onlooker, the appearance of this massive group may be a little overwhelming, but they are completely harmless ... at least, until the boards are unfolded and they begin to shake the dice, blow things up and conquer huge tracts of land.
For more information, go to boardgames.meetup.com.
