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All in the game

The family that plays together stays together

SPORTING SPIRIT? While most grownups relate to such games, some fall for just about anything that comes in the form of a board PHOTO: VINO JOHN

If you think "snakes and ladders = kids", you've got your arithmetic wrong. A. Padmanabhan is always a sport. Except, of course, when he's playing board games with his family. He hates losing to wife Shalini and 13-year-old son Arun and shamelessly squabbles and nitpicks over the rules if he senses a game slipping away from him. Padmanabhan is not alone; there are hordes of others like him.

"Monopoly and Game Of Life are immensely popular because even adults are passionate about them. Monopoly strikes a chord with grownups because it makes them do much of what they do or want to do in their lives — for example, buying a property, building a house and renting it," says David Selvaraj, Head of Marketing, Funskool India.

Game Of Life could appeal to young adults making a career choice or to parents with sons or daughters to marry off. For, a player could be a doctor, a lawyer or a teacher and depending on what he is, gets X amount of money. The game is modelled after the real and the familiar — a doctor earns more than a teacher; a player enters marriage, collects wedding presents and, once settled down, ensures security by investing in stocks.

Bringing back memories

While most grownups relate to such games, some fall for just about anything that comes in the form of a board. Devaraj, an English teacher, still throws the dice over snakes and ladders to destress and "to pamper the kid in me". Also, the game signifies a link to his brothers, Ganaraj, who is a neurologist based in Australia, and Jesuraj, a paediatrician in Kuwait. "As long as we were together, we played snakes and ladders. The game opens a floodgate of memories."

However for most adults, board games meet a need in the present bonding with their families. And they meet this need more fully than physical or outdoor games. Because they do not demand physical fitness; and when you are around a board, even age and sex do not matter — everyone in the family can compete against every other.

"We have hoarded 20 board games and play a few of these at least thrice a week. We also have miniature versions of all these games, which we pack along with the soaps and toothbrushes when we travel," says Padmanabhan. "We could say our family has been built around board games. Even our youngest son Raja, who's five years old, insists he be included in these games. We deceive him by giving fake identities; the little one does not suspect a thing."

For couples

Board games seem to be therapy for couples who are rushed off their feet. Jyothi Gopalan works for Price Share Coopers and is clearly on the fast lane. Her husband Prasanna Krishnan is a journalist and has to keep odd hours. They've resolved to make whatever little time they spend together, quality time. And playing Monopoly is part of this idea.

"The game has been a binding factor," says Jyothi. Truth be told, it's an addiction — last year, the two participated in the Delhi leg of the World Monopoly Championship, with Jyothi finishing third runner-up.

Thomas T. Abraham, Deputy General Manager, Corporate Communications, Ashok Leyland, used to play Scrabble with wife Sabrina, sons Ajay and Allan and the father-in-law.

"Three generations were playing the game together." He, however, sees board games losing out to electronic games. In his house, Age Of Empires has replaced Scrabble. But he's not cribbing about the change. "Playing together is essential to familial bonding — it does not matter what you play," he says pragmatically.

Thomas is clearly glossing over one fact — that most seniors find electronic games difficult to play, because of a pathetic lack of skills that are required to wiggle the joystick or thumb the remote.

So, the right equation. "Snakes and ladders = family and fun."

Fun at work

Board games occupy office space as well. Says Lijin Varghese, a corporate communications executive: "These games help bury differences. Many a time, these games help identify these differences. I guess play brings repressed feelings to the fore."

Zhayynn James, a landscape architect, thinks board games are effective icebreakers. "You can get to know your new staff better in the informal atmosphere that a board game can create. A board game is a team-building exercise you cannot ignore."

Guess board games are as important as board meetings.

PRINCE FREDERICK

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