On some Tuesday nights at Tigin Irish Pub in Stamford, CT, Andrea McLaughlin and her husband Mike, both in their 60s, can be found coming up with a name for their team for Trivia Night (Stamford Smartinis).

That’s all part of the fun.

“We love the friendly competition and its collaborative fun with friends. We also love some of the nostalgic questions—and sometimes you get to show off your smarts,” Andrea says.

Feed Your Brain – and your Social Life

Indeed. Not only is trivia fun, but experts also say trivia (and other games) exercises your brain, sharpens memory and improves learning.

Therese Huston, PhD., author of Sharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science, suggests finding games you can play regularly with friends.

“If you like big groups, that might mean playing something like Bunco, Bingo or doing trivia night at a pub, whereas if you prefer connecting with just one person or a small group, maybe that means playing Rummikub or Scrabble once a week.

“Of course, strategy games give your brain more of a workout than games based mostly on luck, but the most important thing is finding something you and your friends enjoy. The more fun it is, the more often you’ll play. And frequency is key,” she adds.

Trivia’s Popularity

Trivia is not new. Columbia University college administrator Edwin Goodgold started having quiz contests for students on pop culture and other subjects in university lounges back in 1965. An article in the New York Times suggested trivia contests went from being a college parlor game to a global phenomenon thanks to him. Goodgold also wrote the 1968 book Trivia introducing the game to a national audience. Today, trivia games can be found live all over the country, on phone apps and even on Netflix (Trivia Quest).

Where to Find Trivia

Today, there are plenty of trivia apps from the Apple Store like Trivia Star, Trivia Royale and Jeopardy! AARP has Games Center (https://www.aarp.org/games/) online for Mah-Jongg, Word Wipe, Daily Crossword, Right Again! Trivia, and more.

But, for those who want a more social component, Dr. Evan Ciarloni, a geriatric health specialist in Jackson, Mississippi, says using games to exercise the brain is great, “but if it has a social component all the better.” He suggests looking at local neighborhood community or senior centers or faith-based organizations. Sites like Eventbrite.com and Meetiup.com are also good sources to find your next live, local match.

Bars, Breweries and Restaurants

Pubtriviausa.com lists trivia in Illinois, California, Kansas, Wisconsin and other states and Triviamafia.com will help find a game locations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nebraska, Iowa and other locales. NYC Trivia League hosts teams seven nights per week in over 80 bars across the city.

Team Trivia provides hosted live events in cities across the nation and National Trivia Leagues, sponsored by Challenge Entertainment, organizes league play in bars and restaurants nationwide.

A Trivia Game Near You?

The great thing is that some sites allow you to search by zip code for a game near you, such as King Trivia, offering more than 75 weekly music and trivia in cities across California as well as Seattle, Denver, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Dallas, America’s Pub Quiz  and Geeks Who Drink.  Or you can check out this list of the top pub games in the US on www.bargames101.com.

Trivia Etiquette

From www.bargames101.com rules are rules no matter what league you’re playing in on trivia night:

• No shouting out the answers to questions
• No using your phone (or Google) for assistance
• Quiz night is free, but you are expected to buy drinks and/or food from the bar
• The quiz master has the final say (he or she is always right!)

Most leagues also have a maximum number of players. And while in some cases you can play solo, it’s always encouraged to join up with a group.

Your Turn

Are you a trivia fan?  A regular at a game near you?  Have you made friends? Share your experience in the comments!

Jennifer Juergens Thomas has a lifelong interest in how people get together.  As a former AP reporter she covered feature stories and later wrote about conventions from Anaheim to New  Zealand as editor of Meetings and Conventions magazine. She was a public relations consultant for clients like the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives focusing on how and why people need to get together. An Orlando resident, she continues to contribute to Meetings Today magazine among other ventures.