Classic games you can enjoy online

Sometimes the classics endure because they’re the best. With this in mind, we take a look at some of the longest standing and most beloved classic games and explore modern ways to enjoy these games online, and on mobile.

Chess

Chess is the legendary two player board-game of strategy and conquest. It’s 64 square checkerboard is world famous. The basic premise of the game lies in outmaneuvering your opponent with the aim of capturing their king first, a move known as a check-mate, before they can with your own king. Throughout its long history, that dates back to ancient India, Chess has been used by generals and rulers as a means of honing their tactical wisdom. In fact, Chess has often been referred to as a parable for life, with many of the principles that go into competent chess playing being applicable to success in business and other ventures.

This reputation endures today, with many people considering chess the preserve of intellectuals. This is not the case however, as chess can be picked up and played by anyone who learns the moves. Chess.com is the most popular setting online for chess, and is home to the worldwide chess community. Even former grand-masters of the game, such as Bobby Fischer, have been known to play on this site.

8 Ball Pool 

What’s not to love about unwinding with good friends in a bar playing a game of pool? This game’s enduring popularity is due to its democratic nature, with anyone able to pick up and play with little practice. That’s not to say there aren’t hidden depths to this table game, with a huge range of trick shots and strategies available to be exploited by skilled players. While this one is particularly difficult to replicate in a digital setting, there is one app that aims to make up for these shortcomings thanks to its global appeal.

That app is Miniclip’s 8 Ball Pool, a veteran flash game on the internet that ranks as the most popular game played in many parts of the world. 8 Ball Pool can be enjoyed on Facebook’s Instant Games service, meaning you can challenge your friends to a game from within Facebook messenger. The service also lets you share your winnings to your newsfeed for maximum glory. You can also know about Legends Hacks.

Blackjack

Blackjack comprises a family of card games structured around beating the dealer with a hand scoring 21. The earliest known of these games dates from the renaissance in the form of the Spanish Ventiuno, which was played on a Castillan deck that featured only 48 cards. Blackjack most likely originated in its modern form in French casinos in the 18th century, under the name Vingt-et-Un. The game became known as blackjack during the years of the Klondike gold rush, where its simplicity made it a favorite among the miners.

It is now the most popular form worldwide, and 75% of all games played in Las Vegas take place around a blackjack table.  Blackjack, like most card games, is easy to play in person as it only requires a deck of cards. This format can be easily reproduced in a digital setting, with many platforms offering versions that can be accessed and enjoyed on your smartphone or computer. 

Backgammon

This next game predates anything else on this list by centuries, or even millennia. Backgammon has been continuously played in the region of Mesopotamia as far back as 5000 years ago, originating in the civilization of Sumeria. It’s modern name comes by way of Middle English, and translates to “black game” in reference to the color of the board, with any link to bacon being merely incidental. The game is played by two players who are each in possession of fifteen pieces. Each takes it in turn to roll the dice and move the number of places signified by the value of the dice roll. Players move along 24 triangular places that comprise the board. The game features the ability to block and counter your opponent, giving the game ample complexity as players must balance offensive and defensive moves while seeking to reach the end of the board first.

There is a wide range of apps available to enjoy Backgammon on mobile such as Backgammon Live which includes cross-play functionality and online scoreboards.