Thanks! How could I have overlooked Go?
The more expensive sets are indeed exceptional.
Even with the cheaper sets, a 19x19 board is a component worthy of note.

Viewing an ongoing game can be like waatching a developing work of abstract art. It has the same sort of aesthetic effect as watching Life on a computer.

Of course, the $19K is just for the board. Naturally you would need stones and bowls of equal quality. And a place to play and store it. And the dollar has been losing ground lately...

You can get a playable version for $20 plus shipping on ebay. Trouble is, many of us that want this want a work of art - I am in that camp - and a game second.

I've got a backgammon set that I paid way too much money for because it looks awesome, feels awesome, and I enjoy playing just a little bit more because of it. But I have actually played backgammon in the past, have used my set many times, and will use it many times in the future. Bakelite can really make beautiful pieces and they also feel good in the hand.

Never having played Crokinole - heck, I don't even know for sure if I pronounce it correctly - makes it difficult to plunk down $100-$300 for a top quality playing surface. But seeing boards like that one really have made me look at it long and hard.

Tim

BTW - I am pronoucing it crow-ken-ol

A Canadian classic! I just uploaded a bunch of new pics to this game!

Sadly, it is not a western game. It origin is Persian (todays Iran), as indicated by the name:
English: Chess comes from
German: Schach comes from
Persian: Shah (meaning king).

True, Chess is derived from a Persian game. The Persion game, depending on whom you believe, was derived from an Indian or a Chinese one. I am using "Chess" here to refer specifically to the more modern game with the long ranging Bishops and Queens. The Persian game with the more limited movements of the Bishop (Fil) and Queen (Fers) I would call "Shatranj"

As evidenced by it's entry on BGG...