Pen, paper and the desk drawer

Pen and paper is the longest-lived anchor on the site, because it never depended on hardware and so was never obsoleted by any. Its rules are unusually clean as a result: no randomness to hide behind, no speed pressure, the result decided purely by judgement — something none of the other eras can claim. Moving it to a browser only had to solve one thing, which is having nobody to play against, so every game here ships with a computer opponent at adjustable strength alongside two-player on one screen.

Which games did people play with pen and paper at school?

Five-in-a-row, noughts and crosses and assorted line-and-fill games travelled furthest, alongside whatever board came out of the drawer — chess variants, race boards, tangrams and sliding-block puzzles. All of them need no power and start with two people and one sheet.

Are there board games you can play alone?

Yes. Every game in this era ships with a computer opponent whose strength you can set, so one player can start immediately. Switch to two-player when someone is with you and take turns on the same screen, with no network and no account.

Do you need an account to play chess or five-in-a-row online here?

No. The page starts the moment it opens, and your games and results stay in your own browser rather than on a server. There is no sign-in wall anywhere on the site.