Spider Backgammon Checkers, Carved Beech and Walnut, Set of 32

Spider Backgammon Checkers, Carved Beech and Walnut, Set of 32 by Hrachya Ohanyan

A spider with a cross on its back, eight legs spread to the rim, carved into the face of every checker. These are the 32 wooden backgammon checkers made by Hrachya Ohanyan: 16 in pale beech, 16 in dark walnut, about 3 cm / 1.2″ across, velvet on the base, in a branded box.

This is the set for the player who likes a creature with a reputation, the board that came with plain pieces, and the gift for the one who never lets a piece escape. Each spider is cut into the wood — the round body with its cross, the jointed legs — standing out from a lowered ground, and every one differs a little, because they are carved, not stamped.

The bodies are turned from solid beech and walnut, the rim left smooth for the fingers and the whole piece varnished, with velvet underneath so they slide without a sound. Half pale, half dark, so the sides tell apart at a glance. For the man cave, the Halloween table, and the player who builds a web of primes.

Specifications

• Set: 32 checkers — 16 in pale beech, 16 in dark walnut
• Size: about 3 cm / 1.2″ across
• Material: beech and walnut wood, turned, carved and varnished
• Decoration: a cross spider with eight legs carved into the face of every checker, on a lowered ground
• Base: velvet on the underside of every piece
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• 32 backgammon checkers with a carved spider, 16 beech and 16 walnut, velvet bases
• Branded presentation box

Why You'll Love It

• Carved, not printed: the body and legs stand out of a lowered ground on every piece — you feel the spider under a thumb, and no two are exactly alike.
• Two woods, one spider: pale beech and dark walnut with the same creature, so the sides tell apart by wood and the set reads as one design.
• Made for the maker's boards: the same checkers that ship with the Hrachya Ohanyan 50 cm and 60 cm sets — the size and weight the points were cut for.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the spider really carved? Yes — cut into the wood on every one of the 32 pieces, body and legs in relief on a lowered ground, then the whole checker varnished. The bodies are turned from solid beech and walnut and the underside carries velvet. Nothing is printed or applied.

Will they fit my board? They are the standard checkers of the maker's 50 cm and 60 cm boards, about 3 cm / 1.2″ across. Measure the width of one point on your board where the checkers sit: 3 cm or more and they fit. No dice are included — this is the set of checkers only.

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 policy.

How do I look after them? Wipe with a dry, soft cloth; keep them out of damp and away from radiators, and store them in their box or on the board.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine woodcraft in 1985 and founded his workshop in Yerevan in 2010. The workshop turns and finishes its own checkers for every board it makes, which is why these sit so naturally on a hand-carved set. Read Hrachya Ohanyan's story or explore the full backgammon collection.

Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh checkers.