Board games can provide multiple hours of pleasure to anyone who plays them, although usually through different ways. Some games focus more on a random element, allowing anyone with a little luck to be able to pull ahead and win the game. These games usually require nothing more than some lucky rolls of the dice, good cards being dealt, or a great spin on the wheel. Other forms of game usually rely much more on the skill of the player, putting all the power to win in their hands. These games usually do not have any luck elements involved but are based on only each player taking an action on their turn, making all tools available to the player at the beginning. When the two players start out on even footing, one player will best the other through skill alone.



Games of chance are more along the lines of games that are good for children. Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, and Cootie all rely on random elements to help the game proceed along. Either cards are drawn or dice are rolled to determine movement along the path to success. Cootie requires a certain number of dice to be rolled to gain all of the necessary pieces for the bug that one is building. These games are good for children, usually, because they do not require them to think hard about what they should do and this allows players of different ages and skill levels to play the game as well. All that is needed with these games are a little luck.

The games of skill, however, are generally geared more toward adult players, as one will need to be a sharp thinker to do well with these games. Since these games are based entirely on players thinking out their moves and confronting the other in a head-to-head battle, their age ranges are usually a bit higher.

Games of skill also generally require two players of the same skill level, as a novice playing against an expert does not provide much fun for anyone. Chess and Othello are both two types of games which are considered solely skill games. Each player faces off against the other and by taking turns, compete for the win. Luck will not come in the form of anything but the other playing making a poor choice in their turn and the only advantages one gets during the game are the ones that a player makes for themselves.

Most games combine skill and chance, however. Games of pure chance are usually boring, but most people like the thrill of a luck element. Many games, even when considering heavy skill games, also use a random element in the form of dice. Likewise, many games that rely primarily on luck usually bring a form of skill to them in making decisions on how to distribute that luck. A blend between Skill and Chance is usually the most common source of game that will be found, but games do exist on one end of the spectrum or the other. It's only the goal of the player to find the combination that suits them the best.