In Manhattan, the chicest people you know probably aren’t playing poker – they’re playing backgammon. Thanks in part to private members’ clubs like 7 Spring, where strategy salons, elaborate dinners, and cocktail-fueled tournaments have turned the rainy day diversion into social currency, the game has taken on a kind of luxurious legitimacy. Naturally, the board itself has become a must-have piece of coffee table decor.
Between the dice cups, doubling cube, checkers, and carrying case, there’s plenty of room for indulgence. Leather, mother-of-pearl, mahogany, and custom monogrammed inlays give these boards a handbag-rivaling appeal. If you've ever wondered what the Hermès Kelly Pochette of backgammon looks like, Geoffrey Parker has the answer. The brand, which introduced its first leather-clad set in 1961, still sets the standard with tonal acrylic hybrids that cost about the same. Meanwhile, newer names like Jonathan Adler and MaisonGames are loosening things up with animal prints, tortoiseshell finishes, and turquoise leather that feels distinctly Côte d’Azur-coded (which works out nicely, as many of these boards are designed to travel, too).
