Standard Board Games
You Are at Home : Games : Board Games

 

Her illustrated are some historical notes on some commonly found board or table top games, commonly noted as played on Naval Messdecks. In these cases the rules played except as noted are commonly known in the public domain and i shall therefore not take up valuable space repeating those instructions.

Backgammon
The earliest record aboard a naval ship is aboard the Mary Rose where a set was found in an officers cabin.

Thereafter it is recorded as common aboard HMS Culoden in 1804. In the 1970 & 1980's it has been seen aboard ship, but not popular with the general ratings.

Chess
In 1970's &80's - Appears in shore side messes and crew rooms, but rare at sea, a thriving chess club on some shore stations and occassionally aboard ship but not a common messdeck game.

Dominoes
An old game, played in pub and on ship alike. A Bone domino with a convential face number 3/4 was recovered wit the Mary Rose and is now displayed in the museum.

In 1970's & 80's - still a commonly played on board or ashore in crew rooms but has nothing like the following of crib etc. Just an alternative game.