Number of players: 2
Type of game: Cards (cribbage)
Period: 16th Century

Noddy is the ancestor of modern Cribbage, and can be thought of as “small Cribbage” without the crib. Each player holds just three cards. Hands are scored for pairs, runs, fifteens and flushes before play begins, then more points are scored in play, and the first player to 31 points wins.

“By plaieing to much at primeroe and noddy he lost Time and his monie to(o).”
J. Day, Peregrinatio Scholastica, 1610

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice / Teetotum
Period: 16th Century

Put and Take is a simple gambling game played with a teetotum, a small spinning top with four flat sides that is used in place of a die. Each side is marked with a letter telling the spinner what to do: take from the pot, put into it, do nothing, or take the whole pot. It needs no skill at all, which made it popular with children and gamblers alike.

Number of players: 4 to 10
Type of game: Cards (stops)
Period: 1674

Queen Nazareen is a lively stops game. Players lay cards in suit sequence, and the first to get rid of all their cards wins. Two special cards, the Queen Nazareen (Queen of Diamonds) and the Knave Knocker (Jack of Clubs), earn extra coins from every other player when played.

History of Queen Nazareen

• Source: The game is described in Charles Cotton’s The Compleat Gamester of 1674.

• Family: It is a “stops” game, related to Pope Joan and Newmarket, and to modern games such as Michigan Rummy, Tripoly and Rummy Royale.

• Extra-Curricular Attractions: As David Parlett puts it, the game had “extra-curricular attractions”. When played in mixed company, it was the custom for the player with the Knave Knocker to kiss the player with the Queen Nazareen.

• Rules Source: These rules are adapted from the card games booklet published by MacGregor Historic Games (historicgames.com).

Number of players: 2
Type of game: Dice / Tables
Period: 13th Century

Quinze Tablas (“Fifteen Pieces”) is the first of the tables games described in King Alfonso X of Castile’s Libro de los Juegos. Like the other tables games it is an ancestor of backgammon, played on the same 24 point board with 15 men each, but it uses three dice and has one very distinctive rule: no point may ever hold more than two men. This makes it a game of blocking and capture as much as a race.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Dice
Period: 1500+

Glückshaus (German for “House of Fortune”) is a traditional dice game of luck and simple strategy. Played since the late Middle Ages, it uses a specially numbered board and two dice. Each number represents a “room” in the house, some of which have symbolic or festive meanings—most notably the Pig, Wedding, and King.

History of Glückshaus

• Origins: Glückshaus originated in 15th or 16th century Germany, and became popular across Austria, Switzerland, and the Low Countries.

• Social Game: Traditionally played at weddings, feasts, and fairs, often with small coins, nuts, or beans.

• Room Symbolism: Some spaces were given traditional meanings:

  • 2 – The Pig (a lucky windfall),

  • 7 – The Wedding Room,

  • 12 – The King (the best roll),

  • 4 – The Forbidden Room, sometimes omitted.

Number of players: 2+
Type of game: Skill
Period: 1400BC+

Knucklebones is an ancient game of skill and chance, originally played with the ankle bones (astragali) of sheep or goats. It has appeared in cultures across ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Central Asia, and is considered an ancestor to dice and modern dexterity games like jacks.

History of Knucklebones

• Ancient Origins: Dates back at least to 1400 BCE in the Eastern Mediterranean.

• Name: Derived from the Greek astragaloi, meaning “ankle bones.”

• Cultures: Played by Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Chinese, and Indians.

• Materials: Originally made from actual bones; later carved from metal, ivory, glass, or stone.

• Depictions: Shown in ancient vase paintings, including images of Aphrodite and Helen of Troy playing.

Number of players: 2
Type of game: Boardgame
Period: 116BC Ludus Latrunculorum, often simply called Latrones or the Game of Brigands, was a strategic Roman board game of tactics and capture, bearing resemblance to both chess and draughts. Though the full rules have been lost, a compelling reconstruction has been developed from literary and archaeological sources.

History of Ludus Latrunculorum

• Origins: Roman Empire, possibly adapted from earlier Greek games like Petteia or Poleis.

• Name Meaning: “The Game of Mercenaries” or “The Game of Brigands”.

• Sources:

  • Described by Roman authors like Ovid, Martial, and Varro.

  • Archaeological finds include boards inscribed on Roman tiles and stone benches.

• Cultural Role:

  • Played by soldiers and citizens alike.

  • Likely used as both entertainment and tactical training.

Number of players: 2
Type of game: Board
Period: 1400BC+

Three Men’s Morris Also known as 3 Men’s Morris, Tapatan (in the Philippines), or Tic-Tac-Toe’s clever cousin, this is the most compact and swift version of the Morris games. It’s easy to learn, quick to play, and ideal for young learners or fast, strategic duels.

History of Three Men’s Morris

• Ancient Beginnings: Archaeological finds suggest Three Men’s Morris is among the oldest known board games, with roots possibly stretching back to early Egypt, Greece, and India. Boards scratched into stone slabs have been uncovered in temples and ancient homes.

• Simple, Portable Fun: Because it requires only a 3×3 grid and six pieces, it was a popular pastime in ancient and mediaeval cultures. The board is so compact that people would carve it into walls, tables, or seats and play anywhere.

• Global Versions: Variants appear worldwide—Tapatan in the Philippines, Terni Lapilli in Rome, and similar forms in Africa and Southeast Asia.

Number of players: 2
Type of game: Boardgame
Period: 14th Century

Twelve Men’s Morris (also known as 12 Men’s Morris, Merelles, or Mühle) is a classic abstract strategy board game that dates back to the Roman Empire. It’s part of the larger family of Morris games, including Three Men’s Morris, Six Men’s Morris, and Nine Men’s Morris.

History of Twelve Men’s Morris

• Ancient Roots: The game originates from the Roman Empire and may be even older, with precursors in ancient Egypt. Boards scratched into stone have been found at temples and military sites.

• Mediaeval Popularity: Twelve Men’s Morris became especially popular in mediaeval Europe. Game boards were carved into cathedral seats and cloisters, showing its wide play among clergy and layfolk alike.

• Later Developments: While Nine Men’s Morris remained the most widely played variant, Twelve Men’s Morris offered deeper strategy and was known in various parts of Europe under different names: La Marelle (France), Molenspel (Netherlands), Mühle (Germany), Mulino (Italy).