The two best recruitment means we’ve had is to 1) set up a guild on BGG, and 2) to meet gamers when playing at area conventions/stores. We also get some crossover from the social sites such as meetup.com, but in the long run almost all those players have been temporary (perhaps we are too intense for them). Colleges also are good places to find gamers.

We also have the style problems you talk about (even more so because we are a public group open to everyone).  The cliques form along age, education, dating status, and other lines.  As a hosting member I’ll try to do time in each clique, but so far neither side wants to mix with the other so I’ve just learned to accept it.

After one unfortunate incident about seven years ago, our group set up a standard procedure for new members.  A new person can show up for three games.  After that point, the other members vote on him or her.  All it takes is one negative vote to keep that person from joining.  There have been dozens of newbies who have shown up in that time and only two of them were vetoed.  So it seems to work pretty well, letting a wide variety of people join, while ensuring that we can keep the total boors out.

Ray, how many people would you say are in your gamegroup? (that it could develop into focused cliques)

And Larry, I’m very curious now...What was that unfortunate incident?  How does your group get new members?  Do people have to be recommended to be invited to your group?  What sort of behavior resulted in vetoes?

We have 130 people on our yahoogroups mailing list but only a core dozen attendees (and a meeting size of about 20). 

Your right about the critical mass aspect. If a gamer couldn’t find someone in their demographic they usually didn’t come back more than once or twice (as gaming with someone from a different gaming motivation like “social dating”, ‘trollishness”, or “competitive play” tends to rub one another).  Once 3 or 4 folks with a similar demographic became regulars that created a table for them every week and gamers of that type would have a steady clique to take part in and become regular.  So to answer your question enough for two tables or about 8 gamers was where cliques began for us.

It’s also worth noting that the size of your group matters a lot. 

I host a weekly public group that could theoretically grow up to about 40 people, but has never managed to consistently mass more than about 25 (though it has peaked over 40 at times).  People drift in and out of a public group with regularity, and there are constantly personalities that don’t get along.  Once you get over about 10 regular players I think it is very hard to not wind up with one or two people who would rather not play with each other.  At that point, reaching consensus on a new member is going to be difficult.

In many ways, cliques are necessary in public groups, because a wider range of people can find the games they want to play.  I’ve found that eventually those cliques will spin off from the larger group - beginning to meet privately instead of the public space.  This drops your public group in size for a while until newcomers trickle in.

My private group I’ve never wanted to grow larger than 5 - but that’s because I’d rather not have multiple tables at a weekly home game night - not a lack of people.

1.  Discuss games with people who aren’t part of the scene. It’s great that BGG exists - but it sounds like you wouldn’t mind having some new blood.
2.  Ask friends if they would like to invite people (sometimes they don’t invite people, because they’re not the host).
3.  In both cases, push the social atmosphere of board games. If you can be passionate/persuasive in your hobby, people will buy in, just to see what it’s like. You can offer social tricks like “Well, we do an informal potluck sometimes, followed by some casual board games.” (This would require the occasional potluck.)

The competitive gamer vs casual gamer can be pursued as a longer topic in itself - a dividing line for how people enjoy games. In some circles of game nights, those interested will establish an off-night for the non-mainstream games...maybe they’re wargames, or just longer than the average game.

Good luck!

Scott, the “unfortunate incident” was actually an existing member of the group with unfortunate behavior at the game sessions (extremely slow, limited game selection, questionable hygiene, etc.).  People really didn’t want to game with him, but no one wanted to have to tell him he wasn’t welcome anymore.  It was a very uncomfortable situation for all concerned, so we figured the best way of ensuring it didn’t happen again was to come up with a publicized procedure that would minimize unpopular people getting into the group in the first place.  It’s worked very well.

The two vetoes were not close calls.  One was a very boorish individual who pretty much pissed everyone off the first time he showed up.  The other was someone who may have cheated in a game.  Even if the play was an honest mistake, when the questionable behavior was brought to his attention, he refused to change it.  Other than that, it’s been pretty much smooth sailing.

As far as how we get new people, we have a website and some new folks have contacted us because of that.  In addition, one of us will meet a person at a convention, find out he or she lives in the area, and invite them.  We don’t really beat the bushes, but we’re always open for new membership.  As a result, we’ve gotten some very good gamers into the group just over the past year.  The new blood is always welcome and keeps the group fresh.

And then there’s CABS.  We average over 100 people per meeting, in a rented space, three times a month.

Undesirables: For all intents and purposes, we’re open to the public, so we do have a couple people I’d just as soon avoid.  With that many people, though, it’s generally not too difficult.  For all I know, I could be on someone else’s “avoid” list.

Cliques: There are certain people I game with more than others, but there’s enough cross pollination to keep things interesting.  Some of us in our little sub-group get together between CABS meetings, and I know there are a few other sub-groups that do the same.

Method for growth: Bud Sauer does a great job with CABS publicity and outreach.  His approach appears to be, “Promote the heck out of it, welcome newcomers as they arrive, and don’t worry too much about the potential downside.” It all seems to work out, somehow.  Maybe the fact that we charge dues keeps out the serious riff-raff.