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An Online Guide to Buying a Quality Backgammon Set. If you are interested in buying one, I have a few for sale - just click on the "Backgammon" link on the left (under where it says "Home Page").
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What kind of set is best for you? The following is a general guide, and to the best of my knowledge. If anyone finds fault with any of this, please let me know. If you have questions, you can email me. Think of these guidelines as ideas to consider, rather than as "truth." Some sets are very expensive, and feature real leather and rare woods. They can sell hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars. An example of such a set can be found at http://www.egiftsbazaar.com/italian-backgammon-set.html Assuming that you don't mind spending so much on a "designer" set, what if such a set gets scratched by an opponent's carelessness? In any case, I will confine myself to sets that are either widely available and "borderline playable" in a serious game, to those that are specfically designed for tournament play, but that do not cost hundreds of dollars. Most "pro" or high-quality sets have a cork board (with painted points), though some have a laminated wood board. The lower-quality sets usually have a board made of material, sort of like felt (sometimes felt is used), probably with some polyester content, and then vinyl points are sewn in on top of the material (a photo is shown below, the one with the brown case with two orange stripes). This is not a "bad" set, but it is lower quality (latches are flimsy, handles break easily, and the board material wears out faster), and I don't like them because the checkers are solid colors, so you don't get good contrast between the points and the checkers, as you do with checkers that have "swirls" in them. Checkers of the lower quality sets can also be made of wood, but usually they are a hard plastic. The old and "pro" sets often have checkers made of plastic called bakelite, and have a distinctive "click" or "snap" when they bump into each other. Some are a similar material, catalin, which is also stone-like, and usually have nicer swirls in them, but have less of a click or snap to them. These kinds of checkers are collectible by themselves and so some sets are broken up, leaving the dice cups and case/board. Bakelite and catalin checkers usually have swirl patterns, and usually each checker is distinctly different. There are similar kinds of checkers now being made out of acrylic, but patterns in the checkers are the same. The hard plastic checkers that have a solid color have little collectible value. Wood checkers often have grooves in them (concentric circles are common), to alleviate this visual poverty and lack of contrast. Dice and the doubling cube can also be made out of bakelite or catalin, and are often removed from a set as well. A "tournament" set is generally considered one that has checkers that are at least 1.5 inches across (sets with checkers that are 1.75 inches across are preferred these at tournaments these days). "Standard" size sets have checkers that are 1 1/4" across (or a bit less), and are a convenient size for "casual" games. Sets with 1 3/8 inch checkers are "borderline," and somtimes the points are a bit bigger than appears right. Players don't seem to like this, in general, but instead that the checkers fit "snuggly" on the board. The "pro" sets with the cork boards and swirly checkers available today are made by companies like Crisloid, and sell for around $150 or more, new. On eBay, in great shape, such a set seem to sell for at least $80. Many of these new sets have checkers that look like bakelite or catalin, but are made of "resin," and some players say they don't like them, and so prefer playing on the older sets. The resin checkers usually have white swirls in them. If a set has had the bakelite/catalin checkers taken out, hardwood checkers are a good replacement (as opposed to hard plastic in solid colors), and are not very expensive. The sets on this page represent good examples of the different kinds of sets you might come across, and the descriptions of each set should give you a good idea of the differences and relative values.
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On the left is a tournament-size Crisloid set that you can buy now from retailers (in the $150 to $175 rangee). Notice that the light-colored checkers are white, which means the checkers were made with the new resin material. The board is cork, which muffles the sound of the dice when they are rolled. On the left is a Hector Saxe set that is also tournament-size set with a leather case. It sells for around $500 new.
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The two sets on the left (on this side of the column) are the most common sets out there that one might call "semi-serious," at least in the USA. Vinyl on the outside, with material background and vinyl points on the inside. The standard size is about 15x19 inches, open, sells for around $35-$40, new. The larger size, with 1 3/8 inch checkers, about 23 by 18 inches open, sells for $55 to $60, new. On eBay, the large ones can sell for $30 or more if they are in good shape. A set like this in poor condition is not worth much, as you can't repair it easily, nor are the hard plastic, uniform-color checkers worth much by themselves. The latches and handle are often flimsy, and you'll often see broken handles, or no handle at all. Someties eBay sellers will call the vinyl "leather-like," "leatherette," or "leather style," and sometimes they will just say "leather." Real leather cases in great shape generally set for a lot more, even with the solid-colored, hard plastic checkers, but they rarely come up on eBay's auctions. I don't think much of them, because the leather will wear out quicker than the cork or laminated wood boards. Other color combinations are also fairly common, and sometimes there is only one stripe or the stripe(s) are in different positions on the case. On eBay, sometimes people pay more for these sets than they cost new from a store. For example, item number 8726345811 sold for $63.38, and item number 6013204969 sold for $69.97. These were the larger size sets. S&H was additional. However, there are a few sets around that look like this on the outside but are painted cork on the inside, and these sets are more useful to the "serious" player. Vinyl can be repaired with a fabric glue, so if the interior is cork and in good shape, you may be able to get a bargain.
The wood set on the upper right looks nice in the picture, but it's not a "tournament-quality" set. It's inexpensive and fine for "casual" games, though, unless you like the large sets (many "serious" players are used to playing on the large sets). You will encounter sets like this at toy stores.
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Here are the most common checkers you will see in sets that range from "tournament" or "pro" to borderline. I did not include a picture of light wood with no design on them because they are to be found in the cheap sets and serious players would find them to be the least appealing. At the top right are examples of bakelite: green and the usual "butterscotch." Next to them is a brown catalin checker. Notice that it has nicer swirls. Next to that are two wood checkers with grooves in them that give them visual appeal. At the bottom right are examples of the new resin checkers that are made to simulate bakelite/catalin checkers of old. To the right of them are the hard plastic style checkers in solid colors. On eBay recently, for example, a brown set of catalin checkers of about 1.5 inches in diamter sold for $76 plus S&H without the rest of the set (item number 8755625624). A set of new resin checkers of 1.5 inches in dimater sells in the $40 to $50 range.
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