Great Board Games for People Who Hate Luck

Some players love dramatic dice rolls.
Others want every win to feel earned.

If you hate losing because of a bad draw—or winning because you got lucky—these games are for you. The games below minimize randomness and reward long-term planning, positional play, and smart decision-making.

Luck isn’t completely gone (almost no game can do that), but in these games, skill overwhelms chance.

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Chess – One of the Top Classic Skill Over Luck Board Games

Players: 2
Why It Works: Zero luck. Perfect information.

Every piece in Chess is visible. Every move is deliberate. If you lose, it’s on you—and that’s exactly why people who hate luck love chess.

This is the gold standard for pure strategy.

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Go – A Terrific Board Game for People Who Love Memorizing Sequences and Patterns

Players: 2
Why It Works: Simple rules, infinite depth.

Go has no randomness and no hidden information. The complexity comes entirely from player decisions and long-term positional thinking. Mastery takes years, not plays.

For gamenights with players who do love hidden information, check out these lovely deduction games.

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Terra Mystica – A More Modern Board Game with No Drawing Cards or Rolling Dice

Players: 2–5
Why It Works: No card draws, no dice.

Once factions are chosen, everything is visible. Victory comes from spatial efficiency, timing, and reading the board—not hoping for the right card.

Mistakes are punished immediately.

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Brass: Birmingham – #1 Rated Board Game as of Writing this Post

Players: 2–4
Why It Works: Tactical interaction replaces randomness.

While cards restrict actions, they don’t introduce surprise outcomes. You always know the state of the board—and your opponents can disrupt you just as much as you can disrupt them.

Planning ahead matters more than reacting to luck.

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Caylus – A Super Unforgiving Board Game that Rewards Great Strategy

Players: 2–5
Why It Works: Brutally deterministic.

Caylus is famously unforgiving. There’s no randomness to save you if you misplace a worker or misjudge turn order. Every decision compounds.

Perfect for players who want full accountability.

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Onitama – Amazing Simpler Version of Chess with Lots of Replay Value (Pieces Change Movement Paths Each Game)

Players: 2
Why It Works: Shared information, perfect symmetry.

Players use the same movement cards, rotating them each turn. There’s no hidden information—only foresight and positional mastery.

Think chess, but faster and more approachable. One of my favorites on this list.

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The Castles of Burgundy – A Highly Strategic Game that Uses Dice in a Clever Way

Players: 2–4
Why It Works: Dice mitigation, not dice dependency.

Yes, there are dice—but nearly every roll can be manipulated. Skilled players win consistently because they adapt better, not because they roll better.

A favorite for players who tolerate a little randomness but hate swingy outcomes.

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What These Games Have in Common

• Minimal hidden information
• High decision density
• Predictable systems
• Strong skill expression
• Losses feel explainable

If you enjoy reviewing your mistakes after a game instead of blaming the deck or dice, these titles shine.

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Final Thoughts

Luck can be fun—but for some players, it ruins the experience.

These games reward planning, foresight, and mastery, making them perfect for players who want wins and losses to feel deserved.

If that sounds like your group, start with the board games above.

Want Something More Casual to go Along with These Super Strategic Board Games? Check out…

• Gateway Board Games to Introduce New Players to
• 2 Player Card Games
• Bluffing Games to Practice Tricking Your Opponents
• 10 Games to Play if You have 10 Year Olds