Tables@EGL: a new game night tool!

We are excited to introduce a brand new tool for planning EGL game nights, created by our very own Charles Toller!

Tables@EGL πŸŽ¨ allows hosts to create game tables which members can view & join. Each week you’ll see a preview of the games on offer in advance, and ever be able to reserve your spot at a game of your choice!

Members can also set your preferences for game type/complexity. We combine this info with Heylo RSVPs so that our hosts can better cater the menu of games to the audience.

To use Tables@EGL, first ensure you have RSVP’d via Heylo to the game night in question, then visit https://tables.egl.events/ to log in.

Even if you don’t plan to register for tables, consider logging in just once to let us know what kind of games you prefer to play, it really helps!


Problems/questions/feedback? Please post your feedback to EGL’s discord.

Summer 2026: Anniversary Party + Updates & Reminders

We have some massive milestones to celebrate, along with a couple of quick housekeeping reminders to keep our community welcoming, fun and comfortable for everyone.

🎲 1. Save the Date: EGL’s 15th Anniversary Party!

Can you believe it? Our little board game club, The EGL, is turning 15! The very first EGL meetups happened in July 2011 😲

To celebrate a decade & a half of tabletop victories, crushing defeats and amazing friendships, we are throwing a massive party on Saturday Aug 15; see the official announcement & RSVP here.

🧼 2. Community Comfort (Hygiene Policy)

Please consider this a friendly reminder – with large gatherings & time spent around the gaming table, we want to make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience, so we ask everyone to take a moment to review & abide by our club’s Code of Conduct.

In particular, please be mindful of personal hygiene. Out of respect for your fellow players sharing close spaces, please ensure you’re fresh & clean before heading to our events.

πŸ”„ 3. Mix It Up This July: Try a New Table!

Come July, we’re trying something new to help shake things up & get folks mingling!

We want to ensure everyone has a chance to meet, connect and play with as many different people as possible, so we’re asking you to adopt a new guideline: try sitting with a different table host each week!

We know it’s easy to settle into a familiar groove, but we promise it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone. Playing with different folks is a fantastic way to experience new playstyles, discover new games, and make this community even closer; we think you’ll find it well worthwhile! We will see you at the next table!

🎨 4. Game Night’s Tables @ EGL

To aid & abet you with #3 above, we’re excited to introduce a brand new tool for planning EGL game nights! Tables@EGL allows hosts to create game tables which members can view & join; get a preview of which games are on offer each week & reserve your spot!

To use this tool, first ensure you have RSVP’d via Heylo, then visit https://tables.egl.events/ to log in. Even if you don’t plan to register for tables, consider logging in just once to let us know what kind of games you prefer to play, it really helps!

πŸ†” 5. Discord Clean-Up: Update Your Nickname!

We want to know who we’re talking to! If you haven’t already, please update your Discord server nickname to include your real first name.

Example: GamerTag99 (Alex) or Alex | GamerTag99

If you need help changing your nickname on the server, just ping a moderator & we’ll gladly assist.

⚠️ Note: To keep our community safe & recognizable, accounts without a real first name in the discord username will be subject to removal from the server.

Thank you all for making EGL such an incredible community for the last 15 years. Let’s make this anniversary the best one yet! See you around the next table!

Monday Game Nights in SF

San Francisco’s Euro Gaming League (EGL) hosts weekly game nights, open to the public, on Mondays in San Francisco at a public venue in the inner Sunset.

The EGL is a board game club of fun, easygoing folks who get together to build community through tabletop board & card games. We love welcoming new people to the hobby & our events!

How to Attend Game Nights

Join the EGL’s events page on HEYLO to see our events & RSVP. You are also welcome to join us on Discord to stay abreast of events, ask questions, etc!

What to Expect at Game Night

Time

Monday game nights run from 6 – 10pm. Different tables may start games at different times but generally everyone will be engaged in a game by 6:15pm so it’s best to be prompt, otherwise you may have to wait around for the second round of games πŸ˜•

If you’re new to our game nights, we strongly advise arriving 10 minutes early (parking can be challenging so please plan accordingly) so you can be helped by one of our hosts before things get busy, particularly if you are new to games.

Finally, an RSVP is required to attend, as there’s often a waitlist. We may start admitting folks from the waitlist by ~6:10pm, so late attendees may have their spot given away; for this and the above reasons, please try your best to be prompt.

Cost

There’s no fee to attend Monday game nights, although our regular venue does charge a $7 cover (as of Dec 2025); if that’s an obstacle, we may be able to help.

Food/Drink

Since our venue is a game cafe, outside food & drink (other than water) aren’t allowed. Folks give the fare at The Game Parlour rave reviews, however!

What Games do we Play?

We generally have ~40 guests attending any given Monday game night, distributed among 9+ tables. We have a group of “table hosts” who are well-versed in teaching both classic & modern board games and will be more than happy to introduce you to both our games & people.

We pride ourselves on ensuring folks end up in a game of their preferred complexity level, i.e. that no one is “thrown into the deep end” of strategy games. See the FAQ for more information.

Nervous?

We get it! Showing up to an event for the first time – especially where everyone seems to know everyone else – can be nerve-wracking 😟 … but we hope you’ll give it a shot!

We are always happy for new players to join, as we enjoy building a fun community for folk of all sorts. If you have never played β€œmodern” board games before, just ask someone to direct you to an EGL host, who can guide you into a game of your comfort level from our extensive games library!

Come solo or come with friends – either way you’ll find us to be a warm, welcoming group 😍

Want to host a game?

Folks are welcome to “pitch” a game to the crowd & gauge interest. We do recommend to attend a few game nights before offering up games to get familiar with the crowd & vibe. Additionally we ask everyone who’d like to host a table first review & agree to our “run a game” guidelines.

Can I bring my prototype/unreleased game?

We have had folks bring their in-development games to share & garner feedback. We’re currently formalizing policies for this type of sharing which we expecto to publish in early 2026. In the meantime, please reach out if you’d like to host a table with a yet-to-be-released game.

Questions?

See our FAQ or contact us via email or discord!

Tips for Teaching Board Games

We encourage folks who attend our board game events to share games they know & love … you’ll have a chance to pitch it to the crowd!

Anyone is welcome to pitch a game, the only real requirement our club has is that if you’re going to host & teach a game that you be well-versed in the rules – please avoid narrating out of a rule book to your table … that’s no fun for anyone πŸ˜‘

This video by Shut up & Sit Down is one of the best how-to’s on the art of teaching a game, definitely worthy of a watch (20m) if you find yourself often running/teaching games.

When pitching your game

Try your best to include the following details & convey the info relatively quickly:

  • How long will it take to learn?
  • How long will it take to to play/complete the game?
  • Approximate complexity level (eg, Quacks is ~ 2/5; Terra Mystics is 4/5, etc)
  • Theme/plot: what are players doing, what’s our primary goal?
  • Main mechanics (eg, resource management, worker placement, engine/tableau builder, set collection, etc.)

Again, try your best to keep your game pitch to a minute; few have the patience for a short story πŸ˜‰

Warning Signs

Our club prides itself on ensuring that folks end up at games that are commensurate with their skill level – we do our best to avoid throwing new to the hobby guests into the deep end 😡

Ask folks at your table for their experience with modern board games and assess whether they’re really ready for that game of Terra Mystica you’re about to throw down.

When in doubt, ask them to check in with, or better yet introduce them, to one of the EGL showrunners.

Remember – as you’re teaching/playing, look around the table and assess! As table host, your primary goal should be to ensure that everyone at your table is engaged & enjoying themselves … focus around the table first, and on how well you’re doing in the game second πŸ₯ˆ πŸ˜‰

Dealing with AP

Analysis Paralysis – a board game bane we all have to deal with! It can be super frustrating to have someone take overlong to take their turn.

Here’s some tips to help nip AP in the bud:

  1. Screen your players: as noted above, don’t throw new to games guests into the deep end.
  2. Learning Game: right after the teach, especially for mid-weight & heavier games, state that everyone should consider this session a learning game; don’t overthink your move, let’s keep the game going.
  3. Lead by example: keep your turns moving, perhaps narrate as you go to help reinforce how the game play, but be brisk 😏 and keep the game moving!

Additional Considerations

  1. Try to show up early so we can get you a table & you can start setting up
  2. Most of the things you need to know for the pitch are available on BoardGameGeek: playtime, complexity (i.e., “weight”), game mechanics, etc.

Finally – be bold! Watch the shux video, but remember that teaching board games is a skill like anything else – you’re going to get better at it with practice. You can also learn from watching others teach – our regular hosts can provide great insight, just by watching how they teach games at EGL game nights! 🎲