Ever found yourself in a heated debate about whether you can buy houses on Monopoly properties with mortgages, or trying to remember if the queen in chess can actually move like a knight? With countless rule variations, scoring systems that change from game to game, and terminology that sounds like it belongs in a medieval strategy manual, mastering board game knowledge can be more challenging than winning a game of Risk in under four hours! Our board game trivia collection rolls the dice on these gaming mysteries with questions covering everything from ancient chess strategies to the point values hiding on those tiny Scrabble tiles. Perfect for settling game night arguments or discovering why certain moves have such peculiar names.
Challenge yourself with our Random Trivia Questions.
Board Game Trivia Questions and Answers
- How many squares are on a chess board?
Answer: 64 - In Monopoly, what color are the most expensive properties?
Answer: Dark blue - What game uses the phrase “King me” when a piece reaches the other end?
Answer: Checkers - In Scrabble, how many points is the letter “Z” worth?
Answer: 10 points - What board game features the characters Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlet?
Answer: Clue (or Cluedo) - In chess, which piece can only move diagonally?
Answer: Bishop - What is the most powerful piece in chess?
Answer: Queen - In Monopoly, what happens when you land on “Go”?
Answer: You collect $200 - How many letter tiles does each player start with in Scrabble?
Answer: 7 - In Clue, what are the three types of cards?
Answer: Character, weapon, and room cards - What chess piece can move in an “L” shape?
Answer: Knight - In checkers, how many pieces does each player start with?
Answer: 12 - What is the name of the special move in chess where the king and rook move at the same time?
Answer: Castling - In Monopoly, what property is located between “Go” and Mediterranean Avenue?
Answer: None (Mediterranean Avenue is right after “Go”) - What is the highest-scoring single letter tile in Scrabble?
Answer: Q or Z (both worth 10 points) - In Clue, what weapon is used to commit murder in the original game?
Answer: There are six weapons: candlestick, knife, lead pipe, revolver, rope, and wrench - What is it called when you get three X’s in a row in tic-tac-toe?
Answer: Winning or getting three in a row - In chess, what is it called when the king is under attack but can escape?
Answer: Check - What board game was invented during the Great Depression to show the negative aspects of land monopolism?
Answer: Monopoly - In Scrabble, what is the value of a blank tile?
Answer: 0 points (it acts as any letter but has no point value) - What is the maximum number of players that can play Monopoly according to the original rules?
Answer: 8 players - In chess, what is the only piece that can jump over other pieces?
Answer: Knight - What popular strategy board game involves building settlements and cities?
Answer: Settlers of Catan (or just Catan) - In Clue, what is the name of the victim who was murdered?
Answer: Mr. Boddy (or Dr. Black in some versions) - What is the term for when a pawn reaches the other end of the board in chess?
Answer: Promotion - In Scrabble, how many of each vowel tile (A, E, I, O, U) are in the game?
Answer: A-9, E-12, I-9, O-8, U-4 - What board game was originally called “The Landlord’s Game”?
Answer: Monopoly - In chess, what is it called when you capture an opponent’s pawn that moved two squares by moving your pawn diagonally behind it?
Answer: En passant - What is the original name of the board game we now call “Clue” in the United Kingdom?
Answer: Cluedo - In Scrabble, what is the term for using all seven tiles in one turn?
Answer: Bingo (which gives you a 50-point bonus) - What chess opening begins with moving both the king’s pawn and queen’s pawn two squares forward on the first two moves?
Answer: There is no standard opening with this exact description - What year was Scrabble first published?
Answer: 1948 - In checkers, what happens if you don’t jump an opponent’s piece when you have the chance?
Answer: Your opponent can remove your piece (called “huffing”) - What is the name of the special square in the center of a Scrabble board?
Answer: Star (which doubles the word score for the first word played) - In chess, what is the term for a situation where a player has no legal moves but is not in check?
Answer: Stalemate - What is the term in chess for sacrificing material to gain a strategic advantage?
Answer: Gambit - What is the highest possible score for a single word in Scrabble using standard tournament rules?
Answer: 1,778 points (the word “OXYPHENBUTAZONE”)