Backgammon is one of the few games people keep for life. Many British players learned it on a holiday in Greece, Turkey or Cyprus, or from a grandparent, and have been trying to beat the same opponent ever since. This guide lists 10 backgammon gifts, from a board worth handing down to the small things that sit beside it.
This guide was put together by Bellore. Of the 10 ideas, 2 are our own products and are clearly marked. For everything else we name no brands and tell you what to look for instead.
The best backgammon gifts are a better board than the one they play on now, or something that belongs on the table beside the board. Precision dice, a strategy book and a glass mug with dice set inside are the small gifts that land well. A travel set and a wooden chess set are popular mid-range choices. A handmade inlaid board is the big-occasion present that gets passed down. For someone whose board is already a good one, a gift for the drink that goes with the game is the safest choice.
Three questions before you buy a backgammon gift
What board do they have now? Everyone who plays owns a board, and most of those boards are ordinary. A better one is always welcome. If they already own a very good set, buy for the table around it instead.
Where do they play? Someone who plays at home or in the garden will use a large, handsome board. Someone who plays on holiday, on the train or at a club night needs something small that closes up securely.
What do they drink while they play? Backgammon goes with tea, with coffee, with a pint or with a whisky late in the evening. The answer gives you the detail that finishes the gift.
Backgammon gifts by budget
| Budget | Gift ideas | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Precision dice and a doubling cube, strategy book, playing cards, score notebook, dice glass mug | A friend, a neighbour, a colleague, a stocking filler |
| Mid-range | Travel backgammon set, wooden chess set, dice crystal tumbler set of 2 | Dad, grandad, partner, father-in-law |
| Bigger occasion | Handmade inlaid board, backgammon table | Retirement, a new home, a milestone birthday |
10 best backgammon gifts for adults
1.A handmade inlaid backgammon board
Boards made from walnut and inlaid by hand with mother-of-pearl and contrasting woods are closer to furniture than to a game. The best come from workshops around the eastern Mediterranean, where the craft has been practised for generations.
It is the most special thing you can give a keen player. If you are looking to gift a backgammon set for a retirement or a big birthday, this is the kind that is still in the family forty years later.
What to look for: Tell hand inlay from a printed pattern: handwork is never perfectly symmetrical and the surface is smooth to the touch. Check the hinges and the catch.
2.Dice glass mug
These are the only dice at the table that will never let him down. Every backgammon player blames the dice. They roll the wrong number at the wrong moment and they always favour the other side. The dice set into this glass have stopped for good and show the same faces every morning. It is the one roll nobody can argue with.
Give it to the player who complains about his luck after every game. It will make him laugh, and then it will take its place beside the board. It is the mug that gets filled when someone says "best of three?" and the kettle goes on.
It is a 340 ml glass mug with a handle and dice set by hand into the glass body. It is made for tea and coffee, comes in its own gift box and is dishwasher safe. It is a good fit for anyone searching for backgammon small gifts, funny backgammon gifts or dice themed gifts for dad or grandad.
3.A travel backgammon set
A keen player wants a game on holiday, on a long train journey and in the pub. Small sets covered in leather or fabric, which roll up or close like a slim case, are made for exactly that.
Sets with magnetic checkers can be played on a boat or a plane tray. For anyone who cannot take the big board from home, this is a very practical present.
What to look for: Choose a set where the checkers and dice are held in place when it is closed. Leather-covered sets are both light and smart.
4.Precision dice and a doubling cube
Dice are the part of a set that goes missing first. A serious player always has a spare pair, and usually one pair he considers lucky. Precision dice with sharp edges and flush pips roll more truly than the rounded ones supplied with most boards.
Add a doubling cube if his set lacks one, and a pair of leather dice cups. Together they make one of the more unique dice gifts for a backgammon lover, and they cost little.
What to look for: Look for sharp corners and pips that are filled level with the face. Check the size suits his board: small dice get lost on a tournament board.
5.A backgammon strategy book
Backgammon looks like a race decided by luck. Over a long evening it is a game of probability and judgement, and the better player wins. A good book on opening moves, the doubling cube and the endgame is how most club players made the jump.
For a casual player, pick an introduction with plenty of diagrams. For someone who already counts pips in his head, a book of annotated matches will be more welcome.
What to look for: Match the book to his level. A book on doubling theory will go unread by someone who plays twice a year.
6.A proper deck of playing cards
People who love backgammon tend to love every game played across a table. A quality deck of cards means cribbage, rummy or whist can follow when the board is put away.
Linen-finish or all-plastic cards handle far better than a tired pack from the kitchen drawer. Paired with a set of dice, a deck makes a neat dice game gift for adults who host a regular games night.
What to look for: A two-deck boxed set looks more like a present than a single pack. Plastic cards wipe clean and last for years.
7.Dice crystal tumbler set of 2
Backgammon takes two, and this set is for the two of them. Every player has one opponent he has never managed to settle things with: a brother, a father-in-law, a friend from university. Hundreds of games across the same board and thousands of rolls. Two glasses, two sets of dice. One is his and one belongs to the old enemy.
Handed over, it is an open challenge: loser pours. It suits late games after dinner, long summer evenings in the garden and the family tournament that breaks out every Christmas.
The set holds two 355 ml crystal whisky glasses, each with red dice set by hand into the glass, in a padded black gift box. Both glasses are dishwasher safe. For backgammon lovers gifts, dice related gifts or a present for a father-in-law who plays, this is the boxed option.
8.A wooden chess set
Most people who enjoy backgammon enjoy chess as well. Both are games where two people sit opposite each other, think and talk. A handsome wooden chess set adds a second game to the table.
Folding sets that store the pieces inside the board are practical and look good on a shelf. There are also combination sets with chess on the outside and backgammon inside.
What to look for: The pieces should be weighted and felted underneath. Light pieces fall over and spoil the game.
9.A leather notebook for the score
A long backgammon rivalry needs a record. Regular opponents keep a running score across months and years, and club players write down positions they want to look at again later.
A leather-covered notebook kept with the board becomes part of the game. In a few years it is a history of every match the two of them have played. Among backgammon related gifts it is one of the most thoughtful and least expected.
What to look for: Choose a size that fits inside the closed board or its case. Squared paper is handy for sketching positions.
10.A backgammon table
For someone who takes the game seriously, a table made for it is the dream. Tables with the board built into the top and a drawer underneath for checkers and dice become the favourite corner of a study, a conservatory or a garden room.
Models with a cover that turns the top into a side table solve the space problem. For someone who has just retired or moved house, it is a present that will not be forgotten.
What to look for: Outdoors, the wood and the finish must be suited to damp weather. Check the table height against the chairs it will be used with.
Who are you buying for?
- Backgammon presents for dad or grandad: the dice glass mug, a strategy book or a new board to replace the worn one.
- For a father-in-law: the dice crystal tumbler set of 2. It doubles as an invitation to the next game.
- For a regular opponent: precision dice or the dice mug. Either will be used every time you sit down.
- For a partner: a travel set. You will play it together on holiday.
- For someone who has just retired: a backgammon table or an inlaid board. There is time to play now.
- Dice themed gifts for a games night host: a deck of cards, a dice cup and a pair of dice glasses.
What does it mean to give backgammon as a gift?
Giving someone a backgammon set is an invitation to spend time together. It cannot be played alone, so the gift says "I want to sit opposite you". That is why, in the countries where the game is played daily in cafés, it is seen as a present between friends.
Dice stand for luck. Giving a gift with dice in it is a playful way of wishing someone good fortune. Put the two together and the message is complete: may your luck hold and may there always be someone across the board.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best backgammon gifts?
The best backgammon gifts are a better board or something for the table around it. The most popular are a handmade inlaid board, a travel set, precision dice with a doubling cube, a strategy book and a glass mug with dice set into the glass. For someone who already owns a good board, choose from the second group.
What are good backgammon gifts for adults who already have a board?
Buy around the board. Precision dice, leather dice cups, a doubling cube, a strategy book or a score notebook all add to a set without replacing it. A dice glass mug is a backgammon themed gift for the tea that goes with the game.
What should I look for in a backgammon set bought as a gift?
Look at the wood, the quality of the inlay, the hinges and catch, and the weight of the checkers and dice. Walnut is a traditional choice. A hand-inlaid board is worth far more to a player than a printed one. Check the size too: a full-size board needs a table to itself.
What do the dice in the Bellore glasses stand for?
Dice stand for luck and for the moment before the roll. The dice set into the glass have stopped for good, so they show the same faces every time. Given to a player it is a wish for good luck and a gentle joke about the rolls he complains about. They are actual playing dice, set by hand.
Is there a dice glass for whisky or beer?
Yes. The same range includes a 300 ml dice old fashioned glass, a 355 ml dice crystal whisky glass, a 465 ml dice beer glass and the dice crystal tumbler set of 2. Every one has dice set into the glass.
What are good dice themed gifts for someone who plays other games?
Dice glasses suit anyone who rolls dice for fun, whatever the game: backgammon, board games or a weekly games night. A dice cup with a set of precision dice is the other safe choice. For a card player, the same range has a tumbler with a poker chip set into the glass.
What do you buy a dad or grandad who loves backgammon?
Choose something he will use every day: a dice glass mug for his tea, a new pair of precision dice or a board to replace the one with the worn points. For a retirement or a big birthday, a backgammon table is the present he would never buy himself.
Are the dice glasses dishwasher safe, and do they come boxed?
Yes. The glasses and the mug are dishwasher safe, and every Bellore product comes in its own gift box, so it is ready to hand over as it arrives.
For more dice, backgammon and poker glasses, see the Casino Edition collection.