Two weeks ago, we talked about ways to integrate digital technology with board games. This week we throw the game spotlight on a board game that would be effectively impossible without modern computer tech, while taking full advantage of the single greatest advantage of traditional tabletop game play: face-to-face social interaction.

Putting on a board game event for the people at your workplace carries demands and challenges quite different from the ones you'll face when you're playing with your friends and family. And who better to fill you in on the Guru Voodoo you'll need to make that event a success than Steve Tassie, the founder of Snakes On the Go? This week he'll tell you all about the tips and tricks he uses when Snakes and Lattes runs an event.

Ever since the arrival of consumer electronics, many attempts have been made to use advances in technology to make tabletop games more exciting, but until recently, these have had very limited success. That is, until tablets and smartphones became as common as they are today. The small size and impressive power of these devices could become a game-changer... but will it?

In most games, the goal is clear to everyone. You know what you have to do to win, and you also know what your opponents have to do to win. But there are some games where that's not entirely clear. In some games, players have secret goals and can score secret points. You could be in the middle of the game and not be at all sure whether or not you're winning. How do these games work and what makes them appealing?

Richard Garfield's "King of Tokyo" has been one of the most popular games for our guests at Snakes and Lattes ever since it was released in 2011. Its combination of dice, cards, and colourful cartoon giant monsters made it a huge hit. Three years later, it was followed up by "King of New York", a slightly more complex and demanding (and destructive) sequel. If these two games had a fight, which one would win?

In the days before handheld electronic devices with decent games on them, solitaire games you could play on your tabletop were very much in demand. After all, you can't always find people to play with. What has the modern board game renaissance brought to the table for single players? And how does it stack up with the most popular solo games: the ones you play on a machine?

For a lot of people who have never been interested in board games, no game is more repellent than one with a map board filled with little plastic soldiers. But so-called "dudes on a map" games are a mainstay among many of the most ardent board game fans. This is perhaps the most divisive genre of tabletop game. Why does it generate such strong emotional reactions on both sides?

There are all kinds of stories. Adventure, suspense, science-fiction, historical... and of course, mystery. All of these genres have lots of games based on them, but only one ever gets requested at Snakes and Lattes. Why do people seek out mystery games, and which ones do the gurus recommend?

In our inaugural episode for season 3, Jonathan throws the spotlight on two classic filler games from the bygone era of Settlers of Catan. Without a co-host, he spends the episode ruminating on the subtle differences between these two games, and the reasons why he tends to prefer the one that seems, objectively, to be not as good at the other. Is it about having control over your fate in the game, or is it about the illusion of control?

Finding a game for a big group of people to play together can be a big challenge. You need something that everyone will enjoy, and the more people you've got, the more chances that someone won't like what's on the table. And then there's the fact that lots of games just don't work with more than 4 or 5 players. This week, the gurus talk about the games they bring out when they've got a lot of people to entertain.