The Complete Set of Backgammon Game Parts
Serious backgammon players know that you can't fully get into the fun of the game without having a complete set to play with - accessories and all. While some can adequately play with just a board, checker pieces and a pair of dice, nothing really beats the feeling of having all the backgammon game parts. So, what makes a complete backgammon set?
There are five backgammon game parts in a complete set. These include the game board, 30 chips (consisting of 15 same-colored pieces), four dice, two dice cups, and a doubling cube.
Out of the five backgammon game parts, the game board is the basic equipment where backgammon is played on. This piece of equipment can come in the form of a game table, an attaché case, and in some cases, a book casing. It has a distinct surface made of wood, felt, or fabric. The layout is imprinted with 24 thin, long triangles called points.
Game pieces, also known as chips, checkers and counters, come in two sets of 15 same-colored round pieces. The materials used to make counters also vary. They may come in wood or plastic. And for the more discriminating backgammon players, bakelite checkers take the top spot for the best pieces to use.
Out of the five backgammon game parts, dice are the randomizers in the game's mechanics. For this reason, precision dice are the recommended pieces to use. Precision dice are specially-made dice that have round corners (as opposed to the sharp edges of regular dice) and specific weights that promote random rolls.
Dice cups also promote random rolls. The best dice cup has a lip around its opening and ribs on the inside. With this construction, dice are sure to jump and rattle as the cup is shaken and trip on the lip when it's thrown from the dice cup.
The last of these backgammon game parts is the doubling cube. This is the indicator to keep track of the game stakes. It's a little bigger than dice with numbers printed on each of its sides. These numbers are two, four, eight, 16, 32, and 64 - all in accordance with the doubling increments of the game.
Complete backgammon game parts include a board, checkers or counters, dice, dice cups and a doubling cube. These game pieces may come in a variety of materials but what's important is that they serve their purpose well especially in keeping with ease of use and promoting the randomness of each roll. What's more, if you play with a complete set, you'll undoubtedly enjoy this board game at its fullest too.