The best value backgammon board for a regular player is the Backgammon Galaxy Nova: the lowest-priced full tournament-size folding board in Galaxy's range, listed in its US store at $400 to $450 with 30 checkers at 44.3 mm (1.74 in), 4 dice, 2 dice cups and a matte doubling cube. For casual games, Galaxy's $99 Daily Board is the lower-cost option.

Value means paying once. The best deal is the board whose checker size you will not outgrow and whose box already holds everything you need to play.

Prices in USD from Backgammon Galaxy's US store, checked on 3 October 2026. Prices, styles and availability can change. This guide is published by Backgammon Galaxy, which sells the Nova, Daily, Atlas and Earth boards.

What Makes a Backgammon Board Good Value

Price is only one input. These are the others:

  • Checker size. The New England Backgammon Club says 1.75-inch checkers are overwhelmingly popular in American tournament play, which is why that size is called "Tournament Size" in the US. It rates 1.5-inch checkers as very comfortable and a little more portable, and says checkers around 1.25 inches get a bit harder to handle and can be knocked around by the dice.
  • Playing surface. Galaxy's buying guide says checkers glide smoothly on felt and that quiet fabric surfaces keep dice noise under control. NEBC adds that wood is out of favor in competitive play because dice skid on it.
  • Complete equipment. The U.S. Backgammon Federation (USBGF) lists 15 checkers per player, two pairs of dice, a cup for each player and a doubling cube.

Value Boards Compared: Price, Checkers and What's in the Box

Value backgammon boards compared by price, checker size, playing surface and contents
Board Price Checkers Playing surface Size and weight In the box Best for
Galaxy Nova $400 to $450 30 at 44.3 mm (1.74 in) Fixed playing surface, designed with Galaxy Dimensions to be shorter for a better field of vision Tournament size, opens to 74 × 51.5 cm; 4.7 kg complete 4 dice, 2 dice cups, matte doubling cube Regular, club and tournament play
Galaxy Daily $99 30 at 35 mm (1.4 in) Felt interior in a leatherette folding case Medium folding case with handle; weight not published Full set of dice, 2 leatherette dice cups, doubling cube Casual games at home and with friends
Galaxy Atlas $300 44.5 mm matte checkers Vegan-leather roll-up surface Tournament-size roll-up; about 1 kg Dice, doubling cube Carrying a full-size board with minimum weight
Silverman & Co. 19-inch About $140 1.5 in Padded felt surface Medium-sized, 19-inch case; weight not stated Not stated Home play on a firm budget

Galaxy figures are US-store list prices from its boards under $500 listings and buying guide. Silverman figures come from NEBC's review, which places it at the high end of budget sets.

  • Nova against Daily. At the $400 list price, the extra $301 buys tournament-size checkers in place of 35 mm ones, and full tournament proportions.
  • Nova against the Silverman. The extra $260 buys 44.3 mm (1.74 in) checkers instead of 1.5-inch ones.
  • Nova against Galaxy's own Earth Board. The Earth lists at $1,250. Both are tournament size. Galaxy's guide says the premium goes into materials, construction, presentation and replaceable playing surfaces, including Earth's removable MagFit surface and separate tray box. A $400 Nova gives you tournament-size play for less than a third of the Earth's list price.
Nova X-22 backgammon board with its checkers, dice, dice cups and doubling cube
Every Nova style ships with 30 checkers, 4 dice, 2 dice cups and a matte doubling cube.

Precision Dice: The One Upgrade Worth Budgeting For

NEBC says most sets come with 4 dice and a doubling cube, and that modest sets ship with traditional pitted dice. Pitted dice are unbalanced, the club explains, because each face has a different amount of material gouged out, which is why precision dice are strongly preferred in competition.

The USBGF Beginner's Guide says precision dice should be used if available, and under USBGF in-person rules a player at a USBGF event may require precision dice or lipped dice cups where they are available.

Precision dice are an optional upgrade on any board. NEBC even suggests dressing up the Silverman with them. Galaxy's Elite precision dice come in 12.7, 14.3 or 16 mm at $24.95 a pair in its US store. Two pairs replace all 4 dice for $49.90, so a Nova at its $400 list price comes to $449.90 with them.

Backgammon Galaxy Elite precision dice pair
Galaxy's Elite precision dice: $24.95 a pair in 12.7, 14.3 or 16 mm.

Does 19 Inches Mean Tournament Size? Not Necessarily

The 19 inches on a set like the Silverman is the length of its case. Galaxy's buying guide classes 16 to 19 inches as medium and puts tournament boards above 19 inches. NEBC also calls the Silverman medium-sized: 1.5-inch checkers in a case that is easier to carry than a tournament set with 1.75-inch checkers.

Checker diameter tells you more than case length. Under the USBGF rules for in-person play, effective January 2025, a player may require a board designed for checkers of 37 to 50 mm (1.5 to 2.0 inches) before games, if one is available. The Silverman's 1.5-inch checkers and the Nova's 44.3 mm checkers both fall inside that range. The Daily's 35 mm checkers sit just below it, which matches how Galaxy describes the Daily: a board for casual games, not for buyers chasing tournament-size proportions.

Close-up of the Nova X-22 backgammon checkers and playing field
The Nova's 44.3 mm checkers sit inside the USBGF's 37 to 50 mm range.

Which Board Is the Best Value for How You Play?

Regular Home Player

Nova. From $400 list you get tournament-size checkers and everything needed to play. Galaxy's guide points it at regular club, café, home or event play, for buyers who would rather spend on the playing experience than on premium woodwork or interchangeable surfaces.

Club or Tournament Player

Nova. Its checkers sit within a millimeter of the 44.5 mm American tournament favorite.

Casual Player on a Budget

The Daily Board at $99. NEBC says perfectly serviceable economy sets can be had for $50 or even less, with checkers typically 1 to 1.25 inches. The Daily's 35 mm (1.4 in) checkers are larger than that range.

Backgammon Galaxy Daily Board, classic leatherette backgammon set
The $99 Daily Board: 35 mm checkers in a leatherette folding case.

Player Who Travels

Galaxy's guide says to choose something other than the Nova if you want a genuinely compact travel board. Galaxy's own travel boards are the Adventure, from $650 at about 3 kg, and the Adventure+, $850 at about 2.75 kg with 2 precision dice pairs included. Both cost more than any board in the comparison table. Under $500, the Nova suits players who can carry 4.7 kg in exchange for full tournament-size checkers and proportions.

Nova backgammon board closed in its carry case
Closed, the Nova is 36.5 cm wide and 8 cm deep, and weighs 4.7 kg complete.

The Atlas is Galaxy's lightest tournament-size option. It was a prototype run of 50.

Explore every Nova style in Galaxy's US store.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Value Backgammon Board for Regular Play?

For most regular players it is the Nova from Backgammon Galaxy, listed at $400 to $450 in Galaxy's US store. You get full tournament-size play: 30 checkers at 44.3 mm, 4 dice, 2 dice cups and a matte doubling cube. Two pairs of Galaxy's precision dice, enough to replace all 4 dice, add $49.90.

Why Does the Nova Range From $400 to $450?

The price depends on the style. In Galaxy's US store the X-22, Neptune and BGWC edition list at $400, and the Monte Carlo, Casablanca and Cassio styles list at $450. Galaxy lists the same contents for all six styles.

How Big Is the Nova When Closed?

Galaxy's buying guide lists the Nova at 36.5 cm wide and 8 cm deep when closed. Open, it measures 74 × 51.5 cm (29.1 × 20.3 in), and it weighs 4.7 kg (10.36 lb) complete.

Which Size of Precision Dice Should I Choose?

Galaxy sells its Elite precision dice in three sizes, each $24.95 a pair in the US store. Small 12.7 mm dice give what Galaxy calls a light shake feeling. Medium 14.3 mm is the popular middle choice, neither chunky nor light. Choose 16 mm for a chunky, heavy feel; Galaxy says that size also suits players with reduced eyesight and anyone recording their matches.

How Much Should I Spend on a Backgammon Board?

Galaxy's buying guide says price should follow your use case rather than define it. It puts casual, beginner and everyday sets under roughly $200, where the Daily sits at $99. Roughly $250 to $500 is the value zone for serious players and includes the Nova, roughly $600 to $900 covers premium travel boards such as the Adventure and Adventure+, and premium tournament boards start around $1,000.

References

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