Meet the Makers: Nick Eary

Backgammon – An Old Game, Newly Discovered

I’m better with numbers than I am with words, but here is my first blog post for TheLongestStay.com

Just over a month ago, I was reviewing our latest batch of products that the buyers had sourced. Some beautiful lamps, rugs, luxury crystal glassware and then a few products that caught my eye…namely, the Luxury BackGammon Boards by Alexandra Llewelyn.

I was very impressed, and equally intrigued to learn more about this exciting game.

Having spent much of my summer holidays when I was younger at my grandparents house, I had become an expert at board, card and any other games that could be played indoors on a rained off day in the countryside. Monopoly, Patience, Chess, Chequers, Draughts, Fish, Operation and even Tiddlywinks.

Whether I was good at the games, or that my grandparents occasionally ‘missed’ things, I loved to play and win (of course). However, backgammon was a game I had never tried my hand on or won until the tender age of 28. By sheer coincidence I was at my friend Luke’s temporary home (his in-law’s), a nice country house in the village of Rothley in Leicestershire. I’d travelled up there for a bit of a boy’s weekend, a few beers and a catch up.

On Saturday night, whilst sitting around the dinner table, what do I see? A leather briefcase with locks and a handle. Jokingly I said to Rodney, Luke’s father in law who is is a keen shooter…

“Is that where you keep your pistol?”

“No Nick, it’s my father’s old backgammon set”

The pin dropped, this was my opportunity. I asked Luke for a game, and also for him to teach me the rules, which he kindly obliged.

We tidied the plates away, poured a few drinks and then Luke ran through the rules. We played a test match, which I lost 0-24. We then preceeded to play a set of 3 games, the result...

Win 8-0, Loss 0-32, Win 36-0. Total Score Win 44-32! Was it beginners luck? I don’t know!

Much to my pleasure and amazement at winning, and my natural competitive side coming out again, we played again on Sunday, before lunch. The result? I lost miserably. So miserably, I was nearly ‘Backgammoned’, the equivalent to being 7 balled in pool, though fortunately I could keep my clothes on for the next game.

I am now a backgammon convert. I fear this game has a lot more skill than meets the eye but is a game that I look forward to playing for years to come with family, friends and in time even my children and grandchildren. It is after all one of the oldest games in recorded history, almost 5,000 years old.

I’m not yet ready to invest in a luxury backgammon set, but if you are here are my 5 top picks:

5) Luxury Backgammon Set by Aspinal

4) Snakeskin Backgammon Set  by Hector Saxe

3) Carbon Fibre Backgammon Set By Luxedb

2) White Leather Backgammon Set by Hattrick

1) Peacock Backgammon Set by Alexandra Llewelyn

My first love and in my opinion still the best. The Luxury Peacock Backgammon Set by Alexandra Llewelyn.