Luxury Wooden Chess & Backgammon Set - Mount Ararat 15.7" | 40 cm

Luxury Wooden Chess & Backgammon Set - Mount Ararat, by Hrachya Ohanyan

Mount Ararat rises twice on this hand-carved wooden chess set — once on each long edge of the frame, its two peaks cut in relief above a band of carved lattice that wraps the whole board like a net. Between them sits a checkered field of light and dark wood, its ranks and files carved into the border, so the board reads as a map of a game and a mountain at once. At 15.7″ / 40 cm it is a full board that still travels: closed, it slips into its case and goes where you go.

Open the bronze clasps and it becomes a handmade backgammon set — carved points, a carved wheel ornament in the centre of each half, checkers in two woods. A luxury chess set for the table at home, a chess and backgammon set for the summer house, and, for anyone with roots in Armenia, a mountain they will recognise before they see the first piece.

Specifications

• Size: 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″
• Material: beech wood, hand-carved and varnished
• Motif: Mount Ararat carved in relief on the frame, carved lattice border, carved coordinates, wheel ornaments inside
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Handmade in Armenia by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Chess and backgammon board with bronze hinges and clasps
• 32 hand-carved chess pieces made from beech and walnut wood, with velvet bases
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood
• Dice set
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Ararat, carved by hand: the mountain is cut into the wood in relief, not printed — you can trace both peaks with a fingertip.
• Two games in one board: chess on the outside, backgammon inside — one carved piece on the shelf, two evenings of play.
• Full board, travel size: at 40 cm it plays like a real board and still fits a bag, a drawer or a suitcase.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? The chess board is 15.7″ / 40 cm square — comfortable for two players with the hand-carved pieces, and small enough to take along.

Is it a real chess and backgammon set? Yes. The chess board is on the outside; open it and the backgammon board with carved points is inside. Chess pieces, checkers and a dice set are all included.

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, a date or a few words turns it into a personalized chess 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 its case.

Mount Ararat

Ararat is the mountain every Armenian grows up looking at — two snow peaks on the horizon of Yerevan, on the coat of arms, on the label of the brandy and in half the songs. Carving it onto a board is the workshop's way of saying where the piece comes from without writing a word. Here it stands on both edges of the frame, so whichever side you sit on, the mountain faces you.

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 chess set collection.

A Gift with a Mountain on It

A hand-carved Ararat chess and backgammon set is the chess gift set we send most to families with Armenian roots — at Christmas, on Father's Day, for a wedding or a first home abroad. It arrives ready to play, in its own case, and the mountain on the frame does the rest.