The backgammon case is a packaging which is often used for the backgammon game. Here the historical component of the game comes into play, since historically the game was already made of wood. The backgammon case is a way to store the pieces and to protect the playing field, because it is inside the case.
Backgammon cases are available in different sizes and designs, small cases without storage and a variation of the tournament version, which has a felt inlet, as well as high quality noble backgammon cases made of wood, with mother of pearl decoration or oriental or persian versions from Greece or Turkey, e.g. handmade from olive wood, cherry wood or maple wood.
Content
- 1 Buying Backgammon – this is what you should look for in a case
- 2 Which types of backgammon cases are there?
- 3 How big is a backgammon case?
- 4 Backgammon cases alternatives
- 5 How much does a backgammon case cost?
- 6 Professional Backgammon cases from the USA and Great Britain
- 7 Backgammon from wood
- 8 Backgammon Replacement Stones
Buying Backgammon – this is what you should look for in a case
Many people are fascinated by the beautiful game of backgammon, whether you play it with friends in your free time, online for money or professionally at backgammon tournaments – a backgammon case is often the first step to learn and love the game. So what should you look for when buying a backgammon case?
- The size is crucial – make sure you have the right dimensions to enjoy the game in the long run
- Good workmanship of the game pieces – these are touched frequently and should therefore be abrasion-resistant and pleasant to the touch
- Dice – as clean as possible to allow a high degree of randomness, ideally made of acrylic
- Style – at the end of the day you should like the backgammon case personally 🙂
Which types of backgammon cases are there?
There are backgammon cases in all colors and shapes you can imagine. Starting with wooden cases, up to plastic or even metal cases, there are all shapes you can think of, as long as the regular playing field for the position of thea pieces and blots allows it. Many Backgammon players and lovers would like to play with a case, which contains different kinds of wood inside and therefore already contains the board, e.g. light wood for the player with the light pieces and dark or lacquered wood for the player with the dark pieces. Noble Backgammon Cases – The feel of the blots and the board, as well as the warm tones of the woods is so appealing to many backgammon players that they decide to use a case made of wood, e.g. by Philos, for the popular backgammon leisure game.
Tournament Backgammon cases
Backgammon tournaments are played with professional backgammon cases, which usually have a felt inlet to keep the volume of the dice as low as possible. The color combination is fixed – green cloth with red and white blots and game markers. The tournament case has a size of approx. 63,5 x 53,5 x 3 cm (opened) and closed the dimensions 53,5 x 33 x 6 cm and is often bordered with leather or even imitation leather. Tournament cases are already in the higher price range, so around 60-100€ is the price for a good backgammon tournament case.
Tournament cases often use the distinctive flat dice cups, which are well known for backgammon and can be stored in a closed case. These are also lined with felt inside to keep the noise level during the dice roll as low as possible. Especially at tournaments, where many people are playing in one room at the same time, these measures are necessary to enable a concentrated and professional game.
Order a backgammon tournament case online now
How big is a backgammon case?
Usually the backgammon cases are definitely larger than a A4 sheet, slightly longer and 5 – 6cm high – when the case is opened and laid out, this is half. Beside the well known solid wooden cases, there are also travel cases, which are made of leather and wood, or magnetic games, where the blots are equipped with magnets inside and stick to a metallic surface. The game is a bit more difficult when it comes to moving the blots, but at the same time the playing field is protected from shocks.
Are you looking for a robust and haptically comfortable backgammon case with a secure closure?
Backgammon cases alternatives
If you don’t want to take a wooden case with you, but still want to play backgammon, it is a good idea to buy a travel backgammon game. This can be rolled up very small and can easily be stored in a suitcase or hand luggage. There are travel backgammon games that are sewn from leather and have a separate area to keep the blots and dice safe with a zipper or to put them away when they are thrown out.
In addition to this possibility, there is also a backgammon app on a smartphone or tablet, as well as the possibility to play online via the internet, if an internet connection is available.
You already have experience in playing backgammon and want to play backgammon online against real opponents? You know the rules and are looking for equal opponents?
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🎲 What makes a good backgammon case?
A backgammon case should contain the most important parts of a backgammon (Tavla/Tavli) game such as two dice cups, 2 dice, a doubling cube and if possible a game manual with the explanation of the rules of the game as well as a picture of the positioning in backgammon and variations of the game.
High-quality backgammon cases have haptically pleasant blots, which one likes to take in the hand and move on the board - also tournament cases are equipped with a noise minimization, but this is negligible for private use. The fasteners and the workmanship of the materials should be durable in a good backgammon case, the appearance is noble.
Backgammon cases with oriental patterns and from Greece, Egypt or Turkey are at least as popular as the classic wooden cases, even if they do not come close to tournament cases. Independently of this, however, they are influenced by the teahouse culture in Persia and the relaxed backgammon or Tavla/Tavli game and are often used for these occasions in leisure time.
✈ Is it possible to take a backgammon suitcase on the plane?
Hand baggage is allowed on the plane, a backgammon case is the size of a hand baggage on most airlines. Here you can also pack your backgammon suitcase into a hand luggage case, as these often offer a little more possibilities. However, be prepared for the fact that the backgammon game will be noticed during the luggage inspection and may be opened by customs.
❓ Why are there backgammon cases?
Backgammon has been a popular game for centuries, and even if it didn't have the rules and constellations of today in the beginning, where it was always played with a board.
Due to its popularity and the luck factor in the game, the game came under Richard the 1st (Richard the Lionheart) - the King of England, discredited by the gambling passion of his troops.
Thereupon he already in 1190 issued a directive that no one of lower rank should play for money. This first instruction was followed by further prohibitions of gambling, e.g. by King Louis IX of France, who in 1254 forbade his officials to play jeux de tables and other games of chance.
This did not culminate in the order of Cardinal Wolsey in 1526 to burn all backgammon boards. Because of this order backgammon boards became popular, which can be disguised as books, i.e. they are foldable and can be arranged with the back wall in a row of books. This was the beginning of backgammon cases, which have developed since then. If you want to learn Backgammon, a simple game of Backgammon is sufficient, or a Online Backgammon - if you play the game regularly with friends and family, a high quality case is a good advice.
💎 Which is the best backgammon case?
Backgammon cases are available in various designs, in wood, acrylic with leather edging, in real leather and in stone, alabaster or marble. The prices vary depending on material and processing between 30€ and 300.000€. The most expensive backgammon case has pieces on 18 carat gold and a crocodile leather border. Objectively, there is no such thing as a best case, for everyone the beauty lies in the way they look at it. There are, however, some warteries that should be taken into account, such as good haptics of the pieces, easy and simple dragging on the board and dice that actually fall randomly and are well balanced.
Where can I buy replacement Backgammon pieces?
I have lost a piece or dice from my backgammon game. Can I buy the checkers as replacements? These questions are quite common, and the pieces are essential for a backgammon game. Maybe you have inferior checkers and a good board and just want to replace the checkers for a more comfortable feel. This is possible because the manufacturers of backgammon cases also offer spare parts. So you can use a complete set of a higher quality set, or generic checkers, which can also be used for mill or checkers.
Can you build a backgammon case yourself?
Backgammon cases are unique, which are handmade in many manufactories. Of course it is possible to make a backgammon case yourself with a bit of craftsmanship. One of the most difficult steps is to make the triangles without the wood coming out while sawing. An excellent instruction of a technical school for building your own backgammon case can be found here.
A backgammon suitcase test does not exist yet, so it is probably difficult to compare them because of the many subjective aspects that come into play with a suitcase or game. You can check the strength or hinges of a backgammon case – things like wood quality or handicraft are difficult to evaluate objectively.
How much does a backgammon case cost?
Just like with a car, you cannot fix a general lump sum for a backgammon case. There are backgammon cases in the lower price segment (around 30€), cases which are equipped with leather or higher quality materials (about 80€) e.g. from Philos as well as the high quality cases with special artistic patterns and materials which cost from 200€ – 500€ – premium brands like Manopoulos are market leaders but also Wycliff offers high quality tournament cases with crocodile leather imitation.
Luxury Backgammon
Geoffrey Parker is a brand that stands for the absolute luxury version of backgammon cases and backgammon games. The brand traditionally manufactures in England and provides the cases for the annual Backgammon World Championship. Backgammon cases from the luxury brand start at 2.000€ and rank up to 345.000€. The most expensive cases have gold pieces and a crocodile leather border, and backgammon tables are also available for between €5,000 and €8,000.
Professional Backgammon cases from the USA and Great Britain
Many backgammon enthusiasts are satisfied with a simple backgammon game – a premium case, on the other hand, means an outstanding playing experience for them. So it is not surprising that premium cases from the USA or England are now also available on the German market from brands like Silverman & Co., Wycliffe Brothers, Middleton Games, Linda Li and American Wholesaler. The prices range from 60€ to 330€, whereas a shipment from England to Germany often takes only 1-3 days.
Backgammon from wood
A backgammon game can be made of different materials, traditionally there are many backgammon games made of wood – i.e. which were assembled by skilled carpenters and wood artists. Different types of wood are used, such as oak, smoked oak, walnut or olive wood, both for the backgammon case and for the board, which is characterized by the different colored points.
Premium backgammon cases are often made of mahogany, rosewood or maple wood.
Usually you can also get matching wooden pieces in a dark and a light color for a wooden backgammon case.
There is often disagreement about the backgammon dice. Ancient games also contained wooden dice – which, however, do not always correspond to chance. Therefore, in modern backgammon games these dice have been replaced by standardized dice, despite wooden cases and wooden checkers.
Especially when it comes to using a backgammon tournament case, there is no way around standardized dice – these are an important factor in tournaments to ensure a fair game.
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What does a wooden backgammon feel like?
The feel of wood is special in contrast to plastic or synthetic materials. Even though many backgammon games are covered with wax or wood protection, wood has a different temperature and haptic properties than other materials. Last but not least, the sound is added when the checkers are moved on the field, which sounds warmer and more pleasant with wood. A manufacturer of high quality backgammon games made of wood is Philos – they offer not only backgammon games, but also alternative games made of wood.
In contrast to the wooden cases, many tournament cases are made with an imitation leather case.
Where can you buy a wooden backgammon?
A beautifully crafted wooden backgammon game can either be purchased directly while on vacation in the Orient, or ordered online. Here, as with any quality product, the prices differ depending on the design and type of woods used. The shipping is very easy, so there are several online shops that ship the board game cassette or case within a few days. The delivery takes place after dispatch within a few working days, usually 1-3 days.
Tip: If several articles are ordered together, you can often save shipping costs compared to single shipping.
How much does a wooden backgammon case cost?
A product that cannot be produced by machine for the most part has its price. There are cheap versions available from 20€ – but if you want a high quality product, it usually costs 50-60€.
Besides wooden cases, there are also backgammon games which offer a leather case as a possibility to roll up the playing field. The leather bag is perfect to take with you on your travels, as it usually weighs only a few grams. Backgammon is usually a bit more expensive than the classic games like chess. If a game with engraving is chosen, or high quality backgammon cases, this can be between 100 and 500€.
You already have experience in playing Backgammon and want to play against real opponents online? You know the rules and are looking for equal opponents?
How is a backgammon case made?
The production of a backgammon board is done in the wooden version as inlay work, i.e. a wooden inlay technique which makes it possible to put different coloured pieces of wood into each other. This requires high precision, so that no recesses are created. Especially because of the high precision, which is necessary for this, backgammon cases often have their price.
The basis for a case is the base plate, which contains recesses for the triangles. The different coloured woods are inserted into these recesses. For this purpose, woods such as cherry, maple or olive wood are used, which, polished and oiled, show a very different colouring. Once the triangles have been inserted, the case, i.e. the side parts, is placed around the playing board and hinges as well as the closing flaps are attached.
High-quality cases are often still framed in leather or imitation leather, tournament cases often have a felt inlet which was previously glued to the board.
Backgammon Replacement Stones
Backgammon replacement checkers are often a product that is in demand because, for example, a checker has been lost, or the feel of the checkers is not appealing. So it is possible to order a replacement set for a backgammon board directly online and to „upgrade“ the checkers for your own case. Besides the high quality wood, acrylic or plastic stones in mother-of-pearl look, there are also generic sets, which work for checkers and mills as well.