PODCAST · leisure
Boardgames To Go
by Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson's occasional & opinionated podcast about family strategy boardgames
Episodes
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Boardgames To Go 259 - Essen Anticipation 2026
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...
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Boardgames To Go 258 - Elegance in Boardgames (with Greg Pettit)
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? @Gregarius Openers: • Mark: dnup • Greg: Gold Country What the heck is "elegance" in boardgame design or play, anyway? Can it be defined?...
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Boardgames To Go 257 - Summer Season 2026
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…
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Boardgames To Go 256 - Spiel des Jahres Deep Dive 2026 (with Jonathan Takagi)
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?...
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Boardgames To Go 255 - Cult of the New...for an Old Guy
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...
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Boardgames To Go 254 - Officially Old?
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...
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Boardgames To Go 252E - Mark Madness 2026 (Conclusion) with Adam Brocker
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…
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Boardgames To Go 253 - Retro Games at Dice Tower West (with DaveO)
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…
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Boardgames To Go 252D - Mark Madness 2026 (Elite Eight with Adam Brocker)
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. From Germany it's either Azul or 6 Nimmt, then from America it's Diamant or Ticket to Ride. From France...
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Boardgames To Go 252C - Mark Madness 2026 (2nd Round of 32)
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...
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Boardgames To Go 252B - Mark Madness 2026 (1st Round of 64)
The first round is underway! Go vote at https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/375187/mark-madness-2026-designer-teams
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Boardgames To Go 252A - Mark Madness 2026 (Introduction) with Adam Brocker
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 Mark Johnson @MarkEJohnson Adam Brocker…
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Boardgames To Go 251 - German Vacation
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...
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Boardgames To Go 250 - This and That Again
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...
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Boardgames To Go 249 - Annual Retrospective & Feedback
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...
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Boardgames To Go 248 - Two Game Conventions (with Greg Pettit)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. @Gregarius I know I said this episode would be my Feedback (or "mail bag") focused epsiode. And some may remember that previously I'd used the December 1st episode for my grinch-like...
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Boardgames To Go 247 - Fairplay Scoutaktion Results for Essen 2025
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…
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Boardgames To Go 246 - A Boardgamer's Take on Sports
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. 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...
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Boardgames To Go 245 - Revisiting Deep Thoughts (with Greg Pettit)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. 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...
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Boardgames To Go 244 - Summer Game Convention Season
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,...
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Boardgames To Go 243 - SdJ & Kennerspiel 2025 Opinions & Predictions
Opener: Skara Brae, and again I'm talking about vacation-linked boardgames Closer: The Dornücopia we've got planned for EsCon in a couple weeks. I'm always happy to talk about the Spiel des Jahres. The winners, the nominees, the recommended titles, the jury process, and the award's immense,...
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Boardgames To Go 242 - Spiel des Jahres Wayback Machine for 2005 (with Jonathan Takagi)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. Openers: Mark: Space Empires 4X Jonathan: 2005 Flashback & Quiz Closers: Jonathan: My top games of 2005 Mark: Hosting my own (small) event instead of traveling to a con? Mark Johnson...
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Boardgames To Go 241 - Session Report & Feedback
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. Opener: Join us to play games online together on May 3. We're meeting on the Discord server, as well as the Boardgames To Go Listeners group on BGA I set out to give myself a break this...
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Boardgames To Go 240 - Dice Tower West and the Mark Madness 2025 Champions
The annual voting/predicting competition called Mark Madness is now finished. The results are posted with the rest of the updates for episode 239, and here co-host Eryn Roston returns one last time to share the winners. Unconscious Mind was our collective favorite for game cover art, and Adam...
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Boardgames To Go 239E - Mark Madness 2025 (with Eryn Roston)
The Championship is now set! https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/354557/mark-madness-2025-game-cover-art-with-eryn-roston
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Boardgames To Go 239D - Mark Madness 2025 (with Eryn Roston) Elite Eight
Be sure to go vote at https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/354557/mark-madness-2025-game-cover-art-with-eryn-roston?itemid=11634552#11634552
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Boardgames To Go 239C - Mark Madness 2025 (with Eryn Roston) Sweet 16
The round of 32 is finished, leaving us now voting on the Sweet 16 of game cover artworks. The choices are getting more difficult. And we have a new leader in our prediction contest. #Davecember celebrity loofish is representing his namesakes with a currently-in-first-place position for his...
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Boardgames To Go 239B - Mark Madness 2025 (with Eryn Roston) Round of 32
Eryn is back to talk with me about the results of the first round voting. Half of our original 64 game cover art entries have now been knocked out of the contest. Now successive voting rounds keep halving the remaining contestants every three days. What have we seen so far? No ties, though a…
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Boardgames To Go 239 - Reminder for Mark Madness
If you're playing along with Mark Madness this year, the time for predictions is over and you'd better start voting. Whether you've done a prediction or not, the link below takes you to the place where you can choose your favorite game cover art as 64 titles square off against each other in...
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Boardgames To Go 239A - Mark Madness 2025 Kickoff (with Eryn Roston)
Play along and predict the winners at https://challonge.com/MarkMadness2025 Predictions must be submitted by March 12 to be in the contest Mark Johnson @MarkEJohnson eryn roston @baditude Once again, the month of March give me a chance to bring back "Mark Madness," my podcast-hosted voting…
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Boardgames To Go 238 - Podcast 20th Anniversay (with Dave Arnott)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. David Arnott @Arnott When did you start listening to podcasts? Do you remember your first ones? For me it was the first one ever about boardgames and the first about movies. That was...
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Boardgames To Go 237 - BGG Hall of Fame (with Scott Alden) plus EsCon report
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. Scott Alden @Aldie Opener: Everyone knows Aldie, right? Feels like we do. Scott Alden, the man behind BoardGameGeek, is one creative entrepreneur, let me tell ya. Anyone could've thought…
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Boardgames To Go 236 - End of One Year, Beginning of Another
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. I've been doing this podcast for twenty years! I never would've guessed this in the beginning. The actual "birthday" for the podcast is March 3rd, so focus on the anniversary then. But…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (Dave Arnott)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember (with DaveO)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (with deacondavid)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (with loofish)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (with David Harding)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (with David Corbin)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (David Thompson)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 235D - Davecember 2024 (Davebo)
I know a lot of Daves, and many of them have been on my podcast. With that in mind they're helping me celebrate a new holiday, Davecember, when each of them joins for me a mini-episode sprinkled randomly this month into your feed. I'll ask each of them similar questions, and each David also gets…
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Boardgames To Go 234 - BGGcon 2024 (with Greg Pettit)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. @Gregarius As he's done many times, my friend Greg Pettit joins me for a mega-episode discussing all the games we played at BGGcon. Greg's an every-timer to BGGcon, while I went to the...
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Boardgames To Go 233 - Dying on a Hill for Entdecker (with Steve Paap)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. Openers: Mark: Fishing Steve: Trick Taking Game Conventions (here's one, and here's another) Closers: Mark: What do I think is an OG game? I can tell what it ain't! Steve: What would new...
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Boardgames To Go 232 - Before I Played Eurogames
Opener: Noli Closer: Just a few games that caught my eye or attention in other ways coming at Essen. Galileo Galilei, In the Footsteps of Marie Curie, Port Arthur, Amazonia Park, and Flatiron My call for feedback earlier this year sparked both halves of this podcast. First, there was a request…
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Boardgames To Go 231 - Online Boardgame Group for Two (with Dave Arnott and Mike Mayer)
Opener: Wayfarers of the South Tigris David Arnott @Arnott Mike Mayer @Mike Mayer If you're like me, you've been supplementing your in-person boardgaming with the ability to play online. I've been doing that for over 20 years, way before the covid pandemic struck. However, that worldwide event...
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Boardgames To Go 230 - Next Generation Boardgamers (with Tim Dolloff)
Openers: Mark: First in Flight Tim: Arcs Closers: Tim: Changing enjoyment (and ratings) of games Mark: Is it possible to go to too many game events? Tim @Denga If you've followed me for any time, especially on our Discord server, you've heard me talk about a couple things: my appreciation for the...
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Boardgames To Go 229 - Spiel des Jahres and Kenner nominations 2024
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. Openers: Voyages Closers: Virtual Flea Markets (VFMs) at game conventions and other events It'll be no surprise to any listener that I care about the Spiel des Jahres. In addition to its...
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Boardgames To Go 228 - Spiel des Jahres Wayback Machine...2019 (with Mark Jackson)
Openers: Knarr, Faraway Closers: Ordering games nominated for the IGA and SdJ awards Mark Johnson @MarkEJohnson Mark Jackson @akapastorguy Recently I asked my listeners for more feedback about this old podcast. What I heard back was very encouraging--thanks for that. Most of you just tell me to...
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Boardgames To Go 227 - SR & Feedback (Heat, Caravan, Basari, Versailles 1919, A Gest of Robin Hood)
Please join us on the Boardgames To Go discord server where you can chat online with other podcast listeners. In my last episode's Closer I asked for feedback. Really, all podcasters ask for feedback in every episode. I'm no different. Well, I'm only different in that I've been podcasting…
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Boardgames To Go 226 - Dice Tower West 2024
Opener: The final winners for Mark Madness! Castles of Burgundy and eryn roston @baditude Closer: A specific call for feedback to the podcast. Tell me what you like me to do more of, or do less. Session Report & Feedback episodes, like the old days? All About shows (more old days)? Something…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Boardgames To Go have?
Boardgames To Go currently has 394 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Boardgames To Go about?
Mark Johnson's occasional & opinionated podcast about family strategy boardgames
How often does Boardgames To Go release new episodes?
Boardgames To Go publishes regularly with 394 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Boardgames To Go?
You can listen to Boardgames To Go on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Boardgames To Go?
Boardgames To Go is created and hosted by Mark Johnson.
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