Vintage Backgammon Board Games
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games to date. The oldest board was found somewhere in Iraq and identified to be 5,000 years old. This board game is clearly a classic as it's still played widely today. You can find modern backgammon options, and to increase your collection of vintage or traditional dice games, start your search on eBay.
What Materials Are Vintage Backgammon Boards Made of?
A typical backgammon board is characterized by a folding construction that opens up like a chessboard, but you lay the playing surface flat side down. There are a total of 24 triangles called points, and the goal is to be the first to "bear off" or move all fifteen of your checkers off the board. This two-player game can vary moderately in design and use of materials.
- Wood: The traditional material of choice for centuries has been wood. The Mesopotamians used wooden boards. Wooden backgammon sets are moderately heavy with reasonably durable pieces. They can vary in color from rich palettes of light and dark brown with black accents to striking combinations of maroon and black. Many vintage backgammon sets come in a dazzling configuration of ornate squares laid alternatively along the board and on the playing surface.
- Cardboard: This is the material of choice if you're just getting used to playing backgammon. Affordable, lightweight, and reasonably durable, cardboard backgammon sets are good starting points for young kids. They also have an interesting number of variations, including those with cartoony designs meant to interest younger players.
- Plastic: This is also another common material used in making backgammon sets. Buy a neon-themed game board for a fresh new twist on a classic game or opt for the transparent board with painted markings for a bit more style. Travel backgammon boards are usually made of plastic due to light weight and durability, while their Attache backgammon designs aid further in terms of portability.
What Accessories Can I Buy for my Existing Boards?
- Dice: One of the most widely available accessories for board games is the die. Typical backgammon sets have two pairs of dice that determines the number of moves you can make. Four-sided dice are extremely common, so you're sure to find a dice set that you like.
- Doubling Cube: Upping the stakes and speeding up competitive play is the objective of the doubling cube. It has 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 inscribed on its sides, which denote the current stake.
- Checkers: There are of course backgammon checker options available in the market. They vary widely in color and material construction.