Where to play board games in Cardiff, (almost) every night of the week
Cardiff students, South Wales freshers, we hear your cries! 'Tell us where to find good board games in our local city, kind madam! Fill our weekly schedules so that we never have to do any work!'
I've been there, my friends. You need a daily dose of board gaming in Cardiff!
As it happens, we know the best places to be on every day of the week! You can play board games, hang out with friends, meet new people, eat the best food Cardiff has to offer, and become the social butterfly you always dreamed of being. Result.
The following is a day-by-day list of board gaming events for students and geeks in Cardiff. Know another one? Let us know in the comments!
This blog post was co-written with Geeks in Wales, the number #1 online place for geeks in Wales, featuring event listings, 'what's on' guides, interviews, features, and geek-based awesomeness! Go discover & get lost in the geekdom...
Monday: Urban Tap House
5-10pm, £3 entry
If you want to start your week with a dedicated evening of board games, craft beer, and some of the best-tasting burgers in Cardiff, head to Urban Tap House on Mondays between 5-10pm! We've been running our weekly Cardiff #BoardGameBar there since October 2014, and it's an amazing student hang-out place for board games in Cardiff. We've celebrated Christmas there (twice!) with hundreds of guests, and drank more pints than we'd care to admit to...
Did I mention the burgers are made by the Gods themselves? Those games ain't too bad either.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/figurepainting/8275081539 - Licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Tuesday: Glyndwr Hall, Penarth
7-10:30pm, £15 annual membership (first three sessions free)
Looking for something a little more hardcore? The Penarth & District Wargaming Society just might be for you.
This long-running group has been dedicated to tabletop miniature wargaming since 1978 and is still going strong. They cover everything from the Roman invasion of Britain all the way up to World War II.
If recreating epic battles from the American Civil War or World War I is your thing, then the PDWS is the place for you. They also cater for Warhammer and Warhammer 40K players, so don’t fret if you’re more of a fantasy or sci-fi fan. Pay them a visit during their weekday sessions, have a chat and get stuck in!
Wednesday: Tramshed
7-10pm, free
Found yourself on the other side of Cardiff on a Wednesday night? Swing by one of our newest partner venues, Tramshed! You'll find us playing games in The Waiting Room, where you can drop by for a drink, a bowl of chips, and a game with friends.
The venue is a diamond just across the River Taff, hosting regular comedy nights, music gigs, food festivals, and the odd 'crystal ball and psychic' sesh for good measure. Great for students looking for a chilled out vibe in Cardiff!
Wednesday: Ernest Willows Wetherspoons
8-11pm, free
Can’t make it all the way to Tramshed? Not to worry.
You’ll find the Cardiff Boardgaming, Roleplaying and Wargaming League (or Cardiff BRAWL if you like to save time) at the Ernest Willows with a host of board games in tow.
If you’re new to the hobby and thinking of testing the water, Cardiff BRAWL’s friendly members will be on-hand to bring you over to the Dark Side (likely with cookies).
Cardiff BRAWL is the student union’s gaming society, so you’ll likely see them around campus from time to time. They also host all-day gaming sessions each month at the SU - so you’ll both beer and board games on your doorstep!
Wednesday: Y Mochyn Du
7pm, free
Feeling a little more 'Cardiff geek creative'? Got an idea for the next big board game? Every Wednesday, join in with group of testers, designers, and game enthusiasts at Y Mochyn Du, to playtest games and share your passion over drinks!
Get or give feedback, chat about the hobby, and - most importantly - play some games.
Friday: Rules of Play FNM
7pm, standard £5 (incl. booster) / draft £12
Are you a student who plays Magic the Gathering and needs somewhere new to join the MtG action in Cardiff? ...Then you came to the right place!
Every week, we play Standard Constructed and also hold a Limited Draft, upstairs in our Rules of Play store. We hold a gazillion Magic events a year, and have a great community spirit with our players, both seasoned and newbies. Come to the dark side! Muahaha!
Sunday: Chapter Arts Centre
3pm, free
Why end the week on a lazy note when you can end it with even more board games? Shrug off that two-day hangover and mingle with some fellow geeks over coffee and cake!
The Sunday Board Games Cardiff group meet up at around midday (there’s no set time - they’re that chill) and focus on social and cooperative games.
When it comes to creative spaces, Chapter Arts Centre in Canton is second-to-none. It’s always buzzing with creative, geeky events - from pop-up theatre performances to Japanese animation festivals. Even if you’re there just for the games, you’ll want to come back again and again.
We like to ensure that no USW or Cardiff student ever has the time to complete an assignment or actually do any work - finally, our evil weekly schedule of Cardiff board game events will make that happen! Muahahaha!
If you know about another event, please let us know in the comments!
This blog post was co-written with Geeks in Wales - for all your Welsh geeky needs, there's no better place!
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