Loud and proud!

. . .and then they slug me in the belly.

I do it the same way I describe my religion or denomination.

"I really like boardgames. But not like you're probably thinking..." Of course this is said with a smile on my face and people usually get the point. Then, if they're interested I tell them some of the games I like.

EDIT: I'll knock monopoly for you if you don't want to.

Haha, I feel ya. I don't go around announcing I play boardgames...i mean, yeah, it has a stigma attached.

First of all, we're adults and we tell people we "play."

Second of all, you say board games and they think Monopoly, Life, etc.

I only really discuss my boardgaming habits with friends that I think would like to do the same. I wouldn't tell some girl on a first date that I like to "play boardgames."

But when I do tell a friend or acqaintence about the hobby, I just tell them "i'm in to strategy-type games. and maybe list off axis and allies and other such games. Games that make you think, I say.

This is to assure them that I'm not playing "don't wake daddy" or "chutes and ladders." But a good way to trick them into getting into the hobby without scaring them off, or making them geekaphobic is lure them in with games they may like or think they like...like monopoly or risk..and once you got em, suggest something else.

But lets just face it...as acceptable as it is/should be...there is NO EASY WAY TO TELL AN ADULT THAT I, AS AN ADULT, PLAY GAMES.

But in reality, its no different, and even better for the mind, than watching a movie, going fishing, or watching tv. Playing a game should have the same acceptance as watching movies, listening to music, OR READING A BOOK. As long as the game is somewhat deep.

I explain that, while I never plan to get in a street fight or anything, I really do it for physical fitness and the beauty of some of the weapons forms.

I usually keep it short and simple, explaining that I play a lot of board games that are from Europe and that many of them have a “board” that changes every time you play, making it more fun. That usually piques people’s interest and they want to hear more and I then explain the basic premise behind Carcassonne and tile laying.

"I collect and play award-winning European-style board games. You may have heard of one called Settlers of Catan that helped popularize this genre in North America."

Then I explain some fundamendal differences between Euro and traditional American games, e.g. player elimination, quality of wooden pieces, many ways to win, interesting decisions to make each turn, no roll-and-move, no direct confrontation, game duration, etc.

I usually start with a brief explanation of the rules and a practice turn...

I expalin that, no, these are adult games. This segue allows a whole new stigma to take effect.

I don't, I bottle it up deep and hide all my games in rollaway beds and closets and things when guests come over, or sweep them under rugs.

i posted a similiar question last year, there were some fun and interesting responses:

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1159289#1159289

enjoy

I think if you loosely imply that you "hustle people at games," then somehow that is more acceptable. You could also just make stuff up.

I don't explain it. I don't explain BJJ, the USMC, painting miniatures, softball, watching theatre, or any of the other things I do for fun.

".......but it's like tryin' to tell a stranger 'bout a rock and roll".

Just to be clear, I didn't mean stigma about playing games per se, just that they were all like the games in Wal-Mart. It makes no sense to people. I try to explain they are games they can't by in Target or Wal-Mart and I get that walleyed or glazed over look.

Hell I tell everyone I meet.. With in the hour you know that I'm a gamer. Why not? I'm looking for more players. And the hobby is not that old(as far as the European-style board games) mid 80's Thank you Jay @ Rio Grande Games. As far as the strategy-type games.. 1960.. So yes we are new.
It's hard to know what's out in the market.If all your life the only thing you know are the old top game company's (Hasbro, Parker Bothers, Milton Bradley) Here on the Geek 72 pages of game publishers. So many good/great game to play and show people.

I ask them what they like as a hobby, If you gamer? You will know of a game that would sound like a game that they may take a look at.
When we go out, I have a small box with a few games in the car at all times, something short. Dice game or card game, party game. So I can show people. Most people like to play after they get started
I ask them to check out the boardgamegeek.com.

At my work We play at lunch. It all started with me and few cards game. Now 1 or 2 times a month we play at someone home.

I DO NOT HIDE THAT I'M A GAMER. I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I'M LOOKING FOR OTHER PLAYERS!
As ADULT you should know that some people will like you! Others will act like you have a death wish... BUT THE ONE'S THAT YOU WANT ARE THE ONE THAT WILL PLAY GAMES WITH YOU!

Hell I tell everyone I meet.. With in the hour you know that I'm a gamer. Why not? I'm looking for more players. And the hobby is not that old(as far as the European-style board games) mid 80's Thank you Jay @ Rio Grande Games. As far as the strategy-type games.. 1960.. So yes we are new.
It's hard to know what's out in the market.If all your life the only thing you know are the old top game company's (Hasbro, Parker Bothers, Milton Bradley) Here on the Geek 72 pages of game publishers. So many good/great game to play and show people.

I ask them what they like as a hobby, If you gamer? You will know of a game that would sound like a game that they may take a look at.
When we go out, I have a small box with a few games in the car at all times, something short. Dice game or card game, party game. So I can show people. Most people like to play after they get started
I ask them to check out the boardgamegeek.com.

At my work We play at lunch. It all started with me and few cards game. Now 1 or 2 times a month we play at someone home.

I DO NOT HIDE THAT I'M A GAMER. I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT I'M LOOKING FOR OTHER PLAYERS!
As ADULT you should know that some people will like you! Others will act like you have a death wish... BUT THE ONE'S THAT YOU WANT ARE THE ONE THAT WILL PLAY GAMES WITH YOU!

Maybe I have better friends?

I've played Set in a restaurant that was so noisy (live Jass -- good live Jazz, but LOUD) that we couldn't here anyone say "Set", so we pointed to call "Set". I've had people walk over, and (in a lull) ask about it -- or say, "hey, I've got that too" and join in.

Part of what brought my girlfriend and I together was getting together to play boardgames. She probably suggests gaming as much or more than I do, now.

Many of my friends play board games -- some prefering the lighter fare (TransEuropa, or Tsuro) while others like the meatier stuff (Power Grid, or El Grande). For still others, RPGs are their flavour. Or maybe the SCA or SF conventions.

I think most of my friends are geeks -- that's probably why I don't have problems sharing this geekiness with them.

Now, sometimes explaining why I like to go out rock climbing, which involves physical effort, sweating, tearing up your hands, little tight shoes that often hurt, scrapes and rope burn, etc, is the hard part. That's what gets me the strange looks.

The last reaction I got was

"You mean like Risk?"

"Well, yes, sort of", I replied weakly. "I prefer to play games with humans interacting across a non-virtual tabletop. You can't get the same enjoyment out of a computer game. It beats going downtown to clubs and while it's slightly more expensive than a drug habit, it has less negative societal impact."

Okay, I made some of that up. But that's what I have to deal with.

I tell them I'm a total loser first, just to get it out of the way. Then the boardgaming part is hardly noticeable.

yes. i'm totally agree with u. it's so hard to explain boardgames in my country because most of the people here prefer video games and computer games. as soon as i mention it, it would remind them about monopoly and scrabble. and it makes me feel discouraged to tell them more about it coz it so hard to break the barrier of monopoly to the european games.

Great question. I usually defer to the standard "poker night" answer when asked about my other hobbies.

I am a tennis pro and I remember 2 years ago at Mens Night (a bunch of guys getting together at the club to drink beers and play tennis) a guy asked me about my interests other than tennis --- well, I mentioned a few other sports that I play and watch, and then, for some unknown reason, I decided to enter an area that I usually don't --- which is to tell him about my boardgaming hobby. hehe. Blank stare -- it was if he suddenly had seen me in a different light --- "hmmmm.....ok...."

And to think I actually underplayed my enthusiasm for my hobby -- he had no idea that I have more than 200 games in my garage and that it is a constant point of contention with my wife.

Suffice to say, I rarely talk about this passion with other people. I really have several different sets of friends. And I keep them seperate because I just don't think they would mesh well together.

And it's sad because I truly love this hobby and would love for more people to be more open minded about it -- and not just think of Monopoly, Scrabble, and Life.

I haven't really had that problem yet, since no one has inquired about my hobby. A few have seen the games and all of them get the same weird look on their face. They all seem to assume that I'm playing games that 6-year-olds would.

The stigma seems pretty strong at times. :-\

I usually leave out the naked stuff.

Can't but agree. However, even the hard way is worth it.