Classic Wooden Backgammon Set in Red

Classic Wooden Backgammon Set in Red, by Hrachya Ohanyan

Red, the colour of the good tablecloth. This classic backgammon set takes the plainest shape the workshop makes — a square box, a smooth cover, two bronze clasps — and stains it a deep mahogany red that lets the beech grain show through like the figure in old furniture. Nothing is carved on the outside; the colour is the whole statement. Master Hrachya Ohanyan makes it for the house that sets the table properly, and for the person who wants a handmade wooden backgammon set that looks like it has always been there. 23.6″ / 60 cm, from one piece of wood.

Undo the clasps and the 23.6″ / 60 cm wooden backgammon board keeps its colour inside too: a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring drawn tone-on-tone into each red half, points outlined in fine dark lines and tipped with fleur-de-lys flourishes, ornate bronze hinges on the centre bar. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the branded carrying case come with it. This is the handmade backgammon board for New Year's Eve, name days and the evenings when the table is already red with wine and pomegranates.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, made from one piece, stained mahogany red and varnished
• Design: plain cover in mahogany red stain; wheel ornaments in scrolled rings and outlined fleur-de-lys points worked tone-on-tone into the halves inside
• Outline: classic, square
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges and clasps
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood, with velvet bases
• Dice set
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• A colour, not a coating: the red is a stain that soaks into the beech under a clear varnish — the grain runs through it, and every board takes it a little differently.
• Quiet inside, too: wheel ornaments and outlined points drawn tone-on-tone into the red field — the checkers do the contrast, the board does the mood.
• Ready for the table: full-size 23.6″ / 60 cm board, checkers in light and dark wood, dice and a carrying case — open it and play.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? Open, the board is 23.6″ / 60 cm square — the standard full size for a living-room table. Closed, it is 23.6″ × 11.8″ / 60 × 30 cm and stands on its own edge.

Is it painted? No — the red is a stain that soaks into the wood under a clear varnish, so the beech grain shows through it and it will not chip or peel. Inside, the wheel ornaments and the points are worked into the wood and finished in the same red.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free to the US, Canada and Europe, always tracked; other countries pay a flat $100 (Brazil, Chile and New Zealand $200). Every set is covered by our 30-day returns.

Can I add a name or a date? Yes — choose the engraving option on this page and tell us the text. A name or a date turns it into a personalized backgammon set, and it is the detail people remember years later.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, wipe with a dry soft cloth, and store it closed in the case.

Why Red?

Red is the colour Armenian tables already know — pomegranates, wine, the carpet under the samovar. A nardi board in that colour does not fight the room; it joins it. The workshop stains it rather than paints it so the wood stays honest under the colour, and keeps the cover plain so the red reads as one clean block from across the room. The game underneath is the same nardi it has always been — it just arrives dressed for the occasion.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

In 1985, National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine wood craft, introducing a new approach to the age-old traditions of woodworking. After many years of dedication, the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop was established in 2010. Every board passes through 14 stages of production, with 14 separate craftsmen leaving their mark before it reaches its finished form — a piece of wood artistry admired both in Armenia and around the world. Read the story of master Hrachya Ohanyan or explore the full Hrachya Ohanyan backgammon collection.

A Gift That Lasts Generations

For a wedding, a New Year table, a birthday for someone who owns the red dress or the red car, or the friend whose kitchen is all copper and terracotta, a classic handmade backgammon set in red is the backgammon gift set that matches the evening. We send it at Christmas and on Father's Day. It gets opened, played and passed on.