Put Down Your Apps and Take a Seat at a Custom Made Game Board

Pine and Cast Iron Backgammon Table by Rescued Resources LLC at CustomMade.com

Even a strategy and board game purist will appreciate the elegance and expertise that CustomMade artisans bring to their custom made game boards and pieces.  In our galleries, you can find well-known games such as chess, backgammon, and others, in both traditional and experimental forms, as well as less well-known strategy games from around the world.   Put down your app versions and take a look at these custom games crafted from a variety of materials in a range of styles.

Backgammon’s origins may go back over 5,000 years to the ancient Egyptian game of Senet and the Mesopotamian Royal Game of Ur.  You could be playing the modern scion of this ancient line on a board with a little history of its own.  The artisans of Rescued Resources LLC have built a pine and cast iron backgammon table from timbers rescued from an early 20^th century salt factory in Michigan and a base made from a cast iron pedestal that held rolls of heavy paper in an Akron, Ohio, factory that manufactured cardboard tubes.  The 5 ½” thick pine tabletop also holds two handmade copper drawers for storing the playing pieces.  As with many items made from reclaimed wood and metal, the signs of the material’s previous lives are evident and add great character to the piece.

"Chess for Four" Game Board by Custom Chess Boards at CustomMade.com

Custom stonework can add a sense of timelessness to your custom made game table, even if your game format is a variation.  This “chess for four” game board by Custom Chess Boards includes striking black marble and red and green onyx squares with redwood corners and a figured maple frame.  (Here are rules and some background information on four-handed chess variants).  The popular American game of Parcheesi is based on the ancient “National Game of India,” Pachisi.  This marble and onyx Parcheesi board was custom made as a wedding gift and features six kinds of marble and onyx stone, mother-of-pearl, and antique glass.

Marble and Onyx Parcheesi Board by Custom Chess Boards at CustomMade.com

Although similar to both checkers and Chinese checkers, the native Hawaiian game Konane has some unique features.  Play begins from the center of the board, and the play area can be expanded by adding new rows of playing pieces.  Windline Pacific Woodworks can create a custom Konane board game for you.

A custom made game can be both fun and educational and would be a great investment in a young player’s mind.  Of course, old hands at tabletop strategizing will also appreciate custom games.  Find a CustomMade artisan in your area and explore the wide world and history of games through a handcrafted one-of-a-kind custom project or gift.

Konane Board Game by Windline Pacific Woodworks at CustomMade.com