Tiger Backgammon Set with Classic Outline

Tiger Backgammon Set with Classic Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

A tiger's head, jaws open, its stripes cut as fine lines into a smooth disc in a beaded ring, with vine scrolls in line work either side. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice and a carrying bag.

This is the board for the player who wants a tiger on the table at an everyday price — the head only, in low relief, with the work spent on the lines. The face sits on its disc with the muzzle wrinkled, the mouth open on the fangs and every stripe a clean cut; either side, thin vines scroll across a stippled field and the outer panels are cut into diamond lattice, all under a honey-brown stain with the carved lines left dark.

The inside is a warm honey brown — drop-tipped pale points, a flower ornament on each half, a plain hinge — and the back cover repeats the vines and lattice. For the teenager's room, the first flat, and the uncle who asked for a tiger and got one.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained honey brown and varnished
• Carving: snarling tiger head in low relief with the stripes cut as lines, on a smooth disc inside a beaded ring; vine scrolls in line work on a stippled field either side; diamond lattice outer panels; scrolls and lattice on the back
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved backgammon board
• 32 beech and walnut checkers
• Dice set
• Black carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• Lines that read: the stripes and the open mouth are cut deep enough to stay dark under the stain, so the face reads from across the room.
• Vines, not blocks: the scrolls either side are cut as thin tendrils on a stippled ground — light, open work that keeps the lid from looking heavy.
• Make it theirs: add a name or a date at checkout to mark a birthday, a retirement or years of games together.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The tiger's head is carved in low relief into the beech with the stripes and fangs cut as lines, the vine scrolls are cut into the stippled field, and the lattice is worked across the outer panels. Stain and varnish come last; nothing is printed, cast or applied.

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 it? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth and store it closed in its carrying bag.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine woodcraft in 1985 and founded his workshop in Yerevan in 2010. This board belongs to his collection of wooden backgammon sets, each one made by hand by the craftspeople of that workshop. Read Hrachya Ohanyan's story or explore the full backgammon collection.

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