Are you bored with British board games? Then Rachael Clegg might have just the thing...

IN an understated terrace in Nunnery Lane, York, is Neal Guppy's Enterprise Club, or "Guppy's" as it is better known. With no prominent sign or grand entrance the 44-year old club is remarkably discreet - not at all reflective of the club's all-embracing agenda.

Few clubs can boast such a wealth of enterprises as Guppy's, with no fewer than 100 societies meeting there since 1971.

Crossing the threshold of Guppy's is the terrestrial equivalent of entering a parallel universe: cheese plants line the ceiling; orange lamps emanate a Seventies glow; rooms are filled with enthusiasts of extraordinary subjects.

In one room, the Poetry Reading Group congregate, in another space are the York War Games Society. Founder Neal Guppy greets me. His enthusiasm is infectious. While hurriedly preparing tea for the war gamers, Neal explains that he "started running dances, and eventually putting on clubs because there was nothing to do for young people.

"I acted as an agent so that young adults didn't have to depend on their elders and provided an opportunity for young people to put on their own events." Neal has been doing this since 1961.

Contained in a carefully collated archive in his office are the listings of the past 44 years. The range of specialist clubs is staggering, with such organisations as the Japanese "Go" Club; The Psychic Unfoldment Group; York Heavy Metal Group; a Russian Study Group; York Esperanto Society; The Workers' Education Association's 'Understanding Our Universe' Group; York Amstrad Computer Group; York Atari Computer Group; and York Menopause Self-Help Group, which, Neal laughs, "lasted about four years, as you would expect".

One of the most unusual enterprises, however, started a year ago: the bi-monthly gathering for German board game enthusiasts called Beyond Monopoly!

Today Beyond Monopoly! is taking place in Guppy's largest room, which is filled with six big tables, each seating five or six people. The members arrive between 10.30am and 5.30pm from as far afield as Edinburgh and Liverpool to play such games as Settlers Of Catan, Carcassonne and Niagra.

Amid the clattering of counters and low-level chatter, organiser Jon Powers says: "I was converted to German board games after playing Settlers Of Catan in 1997 and started the club just under a year ago. The games are very different to what you would be familiar with. German games start with decisions rather than rolling a dice and there is randomness and using your brain. The element of luck is significantly reduced with these games; it's more about considering how your opponents' decision will affect you. In that way it is very true to life."

Since he discovered his passion for German board games, Jon has amassed a collection of 1,200 games. "I am constantly making trips to Ikea to buy more and more shelves". His monthly German board game budget is in the region of £200.

Gesturing towards a huge pile of boxes, he says: "German board games always have the name of the designer on the front of the box. Each designer has a distinctive style."

Most of the games piled up on the table are based on themes of civilisation and constructing societies with exotic settings such as South America. "The games are positive, constructive and tend not to be aggressive. Therefore more women play board games in Germany than the UK.

"The rules with these games intervene less than the rules of British games people are familiar with. They are made as simple and minimal as possible."

Thirty five people have come today. Newcomer Glen Douglas, 42, says: "The day has been better than I thought. I am enjoying it as I imagined it would be full of people you wouldn't touch with a barge pole but it's not like that."

Colin Methven, 42, says "I've been coming since it started last year. I like the board games and it's very social."

The age of participants ranges from 21 to mid-50s. Children under 16 have to be accompanied by a parent, but this does not mean to say they are constrained in any way. Twelve-year-old Thomas Binnington annihilates his much more senior opponents in Settlers Of Catan. Thomas sums up the unique appeal of Beyond Monopoly! "It's not all about rolling a dice and being unlucky."

Beyond Monopoly! is at Guppy's on March 4, March 18, April 1 and April 22. In May the group moves to a new home at the York Railway Institute.

Updated: 16:15 Thursday, March 02, 2006