We know that Quidditch is one of the most famous games in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. It is an outdoor game created by J K Rowling. What are some of the indoor games played by the wizards in the wizarding world? Has there been any mention of these games in the books or movies?
I want to know about magical indoor games, not Muggle games, or the magical modification of Muggle indoor games.
Fred and George sell a game called Reusable Hangman in their joke shop, which seems similar to the game of “hangman”.
“A space cleared in the crowd and Harry pushed his way towards the counter, where a gaggle of delighted ten-year-olds was watching a tiny little wooden man slowly ascending the steps to a real set of gallows, both perched on a box that read: Reusable Hangman – Spell It Or He’ll Swing!”
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 6 (Draco’s Detour)
Gobstones is a wizarding game like marbles, but played using squirting stones instead of normal marbles.
“He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel to ask the Dursleys for money for spellbooks, to stop himself buying a handsome set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirted a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player’s face when they lost a point).”
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Chapter 4 (The Leaky Cauldron)
Ron has a set of Self-Shuffling cards, they shuffle by magic presumably, but it’s unclear what is played with these.
“Harry stepped over a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards on the floor and looked out of the tiny window.”
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 3 (The Burrow)
Hagrid also played a card game with a stranger and won a dragon egg, but it’s unclear if it was a wizarding card game.
“Won it,’ said Hagrid. ‘Las’ night. I was down in the village havin’ a few drinks an’ got into a game o’ cards with a stranger.”
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 16 (Through the Trapdoor)
Exploding Snap is some type of wizarding card game where presumably the cards explode.
“Harry found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that he, Hermione and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practise duelling in private.”
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12 (The Polyjuice Potion)
Wizard chess is played like Muggle chess but the chess pieces can talk and give the players advice.
“Ron also started teaching Harry wizard chess. This was exactly like Muggle chess except that the figures were alive, which made it a lot like directing troops in battle.”
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 12 (The Mirror of Erised)
Pottermore/Wizarding World lists chess, exploding snap, gobstones, and collecting chocolate frog cards - all magical variants on well known Muggle games.
