Place & dates
Backgammon
in Zürich
Where the city plays, what to expect at our tables, and how to turn up the first time.
Zürich is not a backgammon city — not the way Athens, Istanbul or Tel Aviv are backgammon cities. There a board sits outside every second café and nobody has to arrange a game; it simply happens. Here it is different. If you want a game in Zürich you have to know where. That is what this club is for.
Where we play
Our home is Bohemia at Klosbachstrasse 2, right by Kreuzplatz in Kreis 7. Bar and grill, quiet enough to hear a double, with tables that don't wobble — the three things a backgammon meet actually needs. A few minutes by tram from Bellevue.
Dates are not fixed in a calendar. We announce every meet on Instagram, and anyone on the list gets the date directly.
What to expect
A room with somewhere between four and twelve people at boards. Some know each other, some are there for the first time. No sign-in at the door, no round of introductions, no ranking. You pay fifteen francs, you get a board and an opponent, and the rest takes care of itself.
If you have never played, just say so. Someone will sit down and teach you the moves as you go — it takes about as long as the first drink. The rules are here too if you want a look first.
What to bring
- Fifteen francs. That's it.
- Time. A game takes ten minutes; an meet takes three hours.
- No board. We have plenty. If yours is beautiful, bring it anyway.
- No experience. Genuinely none.
Backgammon elsewhere in Zürich
More people play here than you'd think — mostly in private. Greek and Turkish places often keep a board behind the bar; you only have to ask. In summer you'll see games along the Limmat and in the parks. What was missing was a fixed place you can turn up to without arranging anything. That is what we're building.
If you know a place where people play — or run one where they should — write to us. We're putting together a map of the city.
The first time
The sentence we hear most is “I've been meaning to”. The second most is “I'm not really any good”. Neither is an obstacle. Come by, sit down, and ten minutes later you're rolling.