Players concentrate on the board game in a club in Nanchang of east China's Jiangxi Province on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. [Photo: jxnews.com.cn]

Board games, a type of content-rich social games first introduced in Europe and the United States some thirty years ago, have recently gained popularity among white-collar workers in Nanchang of east China's Jiangxi Province.

Local website jxnews.com.cn reported Tuesday that the board games have become a new alternative to the tech and computer lifestyle popular amongst well-paid working locals, who are now often opt to play after their work.
 
The concept of board games, or table games, first originated in Germany. The games, whose subjects may range from warfare, trade, history, art, and culture, to city construction, are interactive brain games that often highlight the realization of a goal by making full use of limited resources on hand. The games also test players' thinking power, reasoning ability and communication skills.
 
So far, there are more than 3,000 different board games, which typically revolve around a detailed story and challenges involving cards and props.

It's a great way to find entertainment out of such games and have meaningful exchanges among partners, according to a boss of a Nanchang game club, who obviously did not give out his name. The boss said he is optimistic about the future of board games in Nanchang and in China.