Partido vs. partida vs. juego

When talking about games in Spanish, several words can be used, each with subtle differences in meaning and usage. 'Partido', 'partida', and 'juego' are three such terms that are commonly utilized to describe different aspects or types of games, from sports to board games. Understanding these nuances can help in accurately describing various gaming situations.

Partido

'Partido' typically refers to a sporting match, a contest between two teams, or individual competitors within the context of a sport or game.
El próximo partido de fútbol es el domingo.
(The next soccer match is on Sunday.)
¿Viste el partido de tenis entre Nadal y Federer?
(Did you see the tennis match between Nadal and Federer?)
Nuestro equipo ganó el partido por tres goles a cero.
(Our team won the match by three goals to zero.)

Partida

In Spanish, 'partida' often denotes a session or round of a board game, video game, or any game that involves turns or is played in discrete instances. It can also imply the act of playing such a game or its instance.
Ayer jugamos una partida de ajedrez que duró horas.
(Yesterday we played a chess game that lasted hours.)
Vamos a echar una partida de cartas.
(Let’s play a round of cards.)
Cada partida de este videojuego es única debido a la generación procedural de mundos.
(Each session of this videogame is unique due to the procedural generation of worlds.)

Juego

'Juego' is a general term for game and is used broadly for all sorts of activities that can be considered games, including children's play, board games, card games, sports, and electronic games. It encompasses both the physical object (like a deck of cards) and the activity itself.
El juego de mesa que más me gusta es el Monopoly.
(The board game I like most is Monopoly.)
Los niños salieron al patio para un juego antes de cenar.
(The children went out to play a game before dinner.)
Este juego de cartas es para cuatro personas.
(This card game is for four people.)

Summary

In summary, 'partido' refers specifically to sports matches or competitions; 'partida' refers to sessions or rounds of turn-based games such as board or card games; and 'juego' is the broadest term, encompassing all types of games as well as the tools used to play them—making it the most general of the terms used to refer to game activities and objects.