I'm writing to share an update with the greater community of OBG on some exciting news and changes.

First, gratitude
When a handful of us first text-threaded a game night, I never imagined OBG would grow to 550+ people who teach, learn, and look out for each other. In addition to playing games, many of us have been on hikes, camping trips, and movie nights together. You’ve made this community what it is—curious, generous, and welcoming—and I’m so grateful. 

What's new?
I've recently taken a leadership role at the Tabletop Library, an innovative brick-and-mortar social club dedicated to tabletop gaming. My job is to build the best in-person, high-quality programming I can—a truly beautiful space (This Little Street is our interior designer), deep library (800+ deep cut and hot games), curated events (theme nights, how to play), and a genuine, welcoming experience. 

It's what I've always dreamt OBG could be and more--there's finally a place made just for gamers (and unlike any existing board game cafe or store).

What’s changing for OBG?
I’m stepping back from organizing the weekly OBG meetups so I can focus on building and launching TTL in early 2026. OBG is not shutting down--just slowing down from my end. This is where I need your help. If you’re willing to step up to help moderate our Discord, DM me on Discord.

Bridging the two worlds
I want OBG members to feel invited to Tabletop Library, and I will share clear info so you can decide if/when to visit. There will also be opportunities for you to contribute (donate/sell games, run a game, etc), or even join the team as a Game Steward. If you're curious, DM me on Discord.

Thank you for teaching and sharing new games, and welcoming new friends. Here's to the next chapter!

What is Watch the Skies?
Recently West Coast Megagames organized Watch the Skies, a live-action megagame of international diplomacy, media manipulation, and interstellar mystery. The participating countries (UK, US, France, China, Russia, and Japan) navigated geopolitical crises, science breakthroughs, and secret extraterrestrial agendas.

UK Team Roles:

• Head of State: Set the nation's agenda, wrangled Parliament, and made the final calls under pressure.
• Diplomat: Brokered international deals, spun narratives, and spoke suavely on the global stage.
• Commander: Managed the military response to alien incursions, intercepts, and global threats.
• Scientist: Advanced our tech, translated alien languages, and brought home the Nobel Peace Prize.

United Kingdom – Science first, chaos later
From the outset, the UK chose to lead with brains over brawn, prioritizing scientific collaboration. In Round 2, our scientists brokered a key tech exchange with Japan—unlocking communication with alien species by sharing advances in xeno-linguistics.

Our breakthroughs revealed the presence of not one, but two alien factions:

• The Conglomerate: A capitalist, contract-bearing faction that offered deals to join the Galactic Federation—though we suspected shady labor practices and environmental exploitation behind their smiley-faced legalese.
• The Remnant: A more mysterious, stranded group represented by a single alien named “Jeff,” who pleaded for a rare element, red mercury, to return home.

Tensions escalated when France uncovered alien sleeper cells in Paris, catalyzing a global call to arms. Initially, the UK toyed with betraying humanity and siding with the aliens, but upon learning Japan would stand with Earth, we backtracked and joined the world’s leaders in a joint press conference confirming alien presence and affirming human resistance. Despite this, we couldn't resist some sneaky backchanneling. We allowed the press to get close to the aliens and held informal talks—only for our military to accidentally shoot down the Conglomerate’s ship, killing their ambassador. Oops.

Our scientist was the pride of the UK:

• We won a Nobel Peace Prize,
• Developed high-efficiency political influence tech that became the hottest global commodity (and income source),
• And advanced our military capabilities.

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In the final stretch, both alien factions made their case at the UN, claiming a common enemy: the Reapers. The Conglomerate begged humanity to join forces. But, spurred by U.S. and French conspiracy theories alleging that the Conglomerate were the Reapers, we declined to sign the treaty—leaving only Russia to gamble on the stars

🃏 July 8 / 15 / 22 / 29 (every Tuesday from 4 to close) – Tricky Tuesdays @ Two Pitchers Brewing
Tricky Tuesday is our recurring celebration of trick-taking, climbing, and shedding games where timing and wits reign supreme. From classics like Tichu to modern mind-benders like Trickarus, Yokai Septet, and Innovation, we’ll be diving into clever cardplay. Just don’t get caught holding the wrong card at the wrong time!

🎲 July 13 (Sunday from noon to 6pm) – Power Struggles & Shifting Borders: Area control @ Oakland United Beerworks
Stake your claim, form fragile alliances, and dominate the map! Join us for a night of area control games where every move can tip the balance. Whether you're hopping through dimensions in Cosmic Frog, bidding for influence in El Grande, or waging whimsical war in Wonderland’s War, expect plenty of tension, tactics, and table talk. Titles also include Tigris and Euphrates and Blood Rage.

📜 July 20 (Sunday from noon to 6pm) – T-Game Takeover: Tascini and Luciani euro games @ Oakland United Beerworks
Step into the rich, strategic worlds of the T-series by Board & Dice. From building mighty pyramids in Teotihuacan to managing divine balance in Tekhenu, these games blend innovative mechanics with deep thematic play. We’ll explore fan favorites like T’zolkin: The Mayan Calendar and the alchemical puzzler Trismegistus. Perfect for players who love crunchy decisions and clever engine building.

🐾 July 27 (Sunday from noon to 6pm)  – Cats vs. Dogs (But Mostly Cuteness) @ Original Pattern Brewing
Paws, claws, and wagging tails! Join us for a night of games celebrating our favorite four-legged friends. Will you rescue feline families in Isle of Cats, outwit your opponents in the tricksy Kabuki Tricks, or spoil your pets rotten in Cat Lady? Maybe you’ll lead your pack in Dog Park or relive neighborhood childhoods (and pup ownership) in Fort. Whether you’re Team Cat or Team Dog, there’s a game—and a tail—for everyone. Come play, stay, and unleash some fun!

OBG’s International Tabletop Day Celebration is just around the corner! Discover new favorites, revisit beloved classics, and meet fellow tabletop fans. We’ve packed the day with great titles — check out what’s hitting the tables below!

📅 Date: Saturday, June 7
🕛 Time: 12:00–5:00 PM
📍 Location: Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St, Berkeley
🎲​ RSVP now: https://lu.ma/5daiq1n9

🎲 Game Schedule
The following games will have GMs to teach and play alongside you. Feel free to bring your own game to play and share with others! Seats are first-come, first-served to capacity.

​🕛 12:00 PM

• Moon Colony Bloodbath: Betrayal beneath the lunar surface with designer Donald X. Vaccarino
• Heat: Metal to the Pedal: Drift, draft, boost — racing chaos
• The Return to the Dark Tower: Quest. Battle. Tower awakens again.
• Scout: Clever card ladders, circus flair
• We Need to Talk: A trick-taking and shedding game about a doomed relationship with designer Brendon Fong
• 7 Wonders: Build a civilization, crush rivals
• Terraforming Mars: Make Mars habitable. Beat corporations.
• Meadow: Peaceful nature scenes, clever drafting
• Skybirds: Fight for dominance in the skies of the Great War in a climbing/shedding game with designer Andy Schwarz
• Andromeda’s Edge: Engine-building meets galactic conquest
• Race to Kepler: Space racing, resource crunching strategy
• Bomb Busters: Chain reactions. Explosions. Win big.
• Battle Sheep: Spread sheep. Block friends. Dominate.

🕧 12:30 PM

• Ankh: Mythical gods clash
• Ares Expedition: Terraforming Mars, now faster-paced

🕐 1:00 PM

• Dominion (new expansions): Deck-building classic returns stronger
• Guild of Merchant Explorers: Explore, invest, and connect cities
• 6 Forces: Adapt to ever-changing trump suits in this dynamic trick-taking game
• Cat Lady: Draft cats. Feed treats. Win.
• Century: Trade spices. Build your route.
• Babble: Describe words without saying them
• Mole Rats in Space: Co-op crawl, snakes on board!

🕜 1:30 PM

• World Wonders: Draft monuments, build ancient legacy

🕑 2:00 PM

• Spirit Island: Defend island with elemental fury
• Rail on the Hill: Build tracks on shifting hills
• Parks: Hike scenic trails, collect memories

🕝 2:30 PM

• Finspan: Dive into the watery depths to find and observe a vast array of aquatic life.
• Dune Imperium: Bloodlines: Place agents, deploy troops to conquer the desert world
• Constellations: Match stars, learn night sky
• Outfoxed: Deduction meets adorable animal sleuths

🕒 3:00 PM

• Pacific: Set sail. Control the seas.

🕞 3:30 PM

• Trash Pandas: Sneaky raccoons, delightful chaos

🕓 4:00 PM

• Super Mega Lucky Box: Bingo meets combos, zaps!

​🕓 5:00 PM 

• Event end

💡 What to bring

• Yourself (and a friend!)
• Your favorite game to play and share with new friends
• Your best game face 😄

Whether you're a strategy game aficionado, a role-playing game enthusiast, or simply looking for a fun way to spend the day, our International Tabletop Day celebration at the Hillside Club promises something for everyone. 

​Date & Time: Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 12-5pm
​Location: The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA 94709​
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​Admission is free, and all ages are welcome.

Here's the OBG lineup for May -- locations and dates subject to change. Become a member to get the latest!

May 4: May the 4th Be With You: Space-themed board games
Join us at Original Pattern Brewing (Oakland) for an epic afternoon of tabletop adventure in a galaxy not so far away. Whether you’re a Rebel strategist, Imperial tactician, or just love games with space lasers and epic quests, this Star Wars and space-themed board game meetup is for you.

Bring your favorite sci-fi or space-themed board games—Star Wars: Rebellion, X-Wing, Terraforming Mars, SETI, Galactic Cruise, Gaia Project, Cosmic Encounter, or anything that travels through hyperspace—and play with fellow fans and gamers.

It’s May the 4th, so don’t be a scruffy-looking nerf herder—grab your friends, roll the dice, and let the Force guide your strategy.

May 11: Buy, Bid, Build: Auction/stock board games
Trade smart, invest wisely, and dominate the board in this market-themed strategy showdown.

Featured games include:

• For Sale: A quick real estate bidding game
• Bruxelles 1893: Art noveau meets economic planning in this deep euro game
• Airlines Europe: Build an airline empire and invest in the right stocks
• Medici: Reiner Knizia's classic auction 
• Acquire: Stock market savvy and corporate takeovers
• Raccoon Tycoon Deluxe: An upgraded version of the fast-paced game of trading commodities
• Power Grid: Plan your network, manage resources, and outbid opponents for energy dominance

May 18: Board Game Brews
Dig into a day of crop-growing and beer-brewing with some of the best farming and plant-themed strategy games.

May 25: BYO Favorite Game
Many members of OBG will be at the San Francisco game convention, KublaCon, but for those who are around, Oakland United Beerworks will welcome you! Grab your favorite games, gather your friends and join us for a laidback open board game day. Bring what you love!

The Oaklandish Board Gamers recently hosted a 27-player, 7-table simultaneous mega game day of Hegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory with players from a 50-mile radius in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was such an awesome community gathering!

We started planning in January and offered training games and tutorials to those who had never played it. The list of players was 50+ and on the game day, 27 with beginner to expert experience showed up and play commenced all at once. We had each 4-player group sitting side by side so that we could have peer classes commiserating across nation-state lines.  (Girl Scouts sold us cookies at the brewery and we traded cookies across the free trade zones.)

Overall, we had 3 Working, 2 State, and 2 Capitalist Class wins.

GenCon has always set a high standard for me when it comes to board gaming conventions. During my first-ever GenCon, I met Matt Mercer (before he got uber-famous), solved elven riddles in True Dungeon, and got first dibs on new releases in the exhibition hall. Plus, with nerdy burlesque, 60,000 attendees, and an electric atmosphere, it's quite a scene.

Over the years, I’ve been interested in exploring non-GenCon events, and so this year, my partner and I decided to check out Dice Tower West (DTW), held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in early March.

The friendliest board game convention
DTW is touted as the friendliest board game convention, and true to its promise, every day, I felt at home. I either ran into people from my gaming circle in the San Francisco Bay Area or connected with OBG (Oaklandish Board Gamers) I don’t get to game with frequently. The warm and welcoming vibe made it easy to strike up conversation and fill seats for a game.

The inner circle
In addition to gaming with local friends and acquaintances, I was honored to play games with influencers I’ve been following on Instagram and YouTube, including Kenan of the Punchboard Cathedral podcast, Reggie of Rolling Reggie, Taylor Reiner of Taylor’s Trick-Taking Table, and the Brothers Murph from BoardGameGeek. It was such a treat to sit down at a table with people whose content I’ve admired from afar and enjoy silly games like Dro Polter and the Downfall of Pompeii together.

On Thursday and Saturday, Taylor hosted the Vegas Game Market, showcasing self-published games. I snagged copies of Mike DiLisio's On the Clock, Taylor Reiner's Sound Wavelength Monikers card game, and 30 to Go by Ben Kearns.

Highlights of the convention

• Daitoishi (Dani Garcia) – A clever euro with an innovative movement mechanism set in the Bitoku universe.
• SETI (Czech Games Edition) – A space-themed game where players scan the skies, launch probes, and analyze data in the quest for finding extraterrestrial life.
• Galactic Cruise (Kinson Key Games) – A fantastic economic game where players build luxury space cruises for interstellar travelers.
• Shackleton Base – A tight survival and resource management game featuring the colonization of the moon.
• Planet Unknown (with the Supermoon expansion) – A fun polyomino game that combines puzzle efficiency with player interaction, made even better with the new expansion.

Other games I played

• Critter Kitchen – A charming set collection and recipe-fulfilling game featuring adorable animal chefs.
• Floresta – A beautiful nature-themed game with mini games including area control and set collection. 
• Fishing (Friedmann Friese) – A quirky, deck building tricktaker that always makes us laugh. 
• Bora Bora (Stefan Feld) – A classic Feldian point salad with dice placement.
• Balconia – An interesting 2-player Castle Combo-like game focused on designing the perfect apartment facade.
• Marvel Dice Throne – A fast-paced, dice-rolling combat 2v2 game with Marvel heroes battling it out for supremacy.
• Fresh Fish (Friedmann Friese) – A quirky Friedmann Friese game whose art reminded me of Word Art from Microsoft Word 1994. 
• Castle Combo – A quick and tactical card drafting game where players play characters into their feudums to score the most points. 
  
• Fromage – A cheese-making game featuring simultaneous action and four mini games.
• Dro Polter – An Oink dexterity game of ghostly mischief and fast hands.
• Rajas of the Ganges: Cards and Karma – A streamlined, card-based version of the beloved dice-and-tile placement game.
• We Need to Talk – A charming tricktaking and shedding game by our very own Brendon Fong.
• Downfall of Pompeii – A thematic and chaotic game where players race to escape an erupting volcano while ensuring their rivals don’t make it out.