Classic Board Game Gifts: Cribbage, Backgammon, Clue and Monopoly

A classic board game makes a safe gift because most people already know how to play. Cribbage and backgammon suit two players who want a board that lasts for years, while Clue and Monopoly suit families, with junior and quick-play versions for younger or busier groups. The guides below cover each one by players, age and case.

These pages sit with our chess gift guides in the classic boards and chess collection. For newer family games, see the best family board games.

Classic board games compared by players and age

Choose a classic board game by how many people will play and how old the youngest player is.

Cribbage boards for couples and card players

Cribbage is played with a deck of cards, and the board keeps score with pegs. Every standard game runs to 121 points, and the American Cribbage Congress describes its tournament board as a long board with 60 holes up and 60 down. A player who wins by 31 or more points scores a skunk.

The number of tracks on a cribbage board decides who can play. A 2 track board suits couples, a 3 track board gives three people their own lanes, and four can play as partners on a 2 track board or each take a lane on a 4 track board. The cribbage board guide compares the layouts.

Backgammon sets in wood and leather

Backgammon is a two-player race on a board of 24 points, with 15 checkers for each player. Most full sets also include two pairs of dice, dice cups and a doubling cube, so check that every piece is in the box before giving a used or vintage set.

A quick way to check a secondhand backgammon set is to lay out a game. Each side starts with 2 checkers on the 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point and 5 on the 6-point, so a missing checker shows at once.

The case is the biggest choice in a backgammon gift. Wood suits a board that lives on a coffee table, leather or leatherette suits one that travels to games, and a personalized lid makes the set a keepsake. Our backgammon set guide covers board size, checker size and case.

Clue editions for families and mystery fans

Clue was first published in 1949 by Waddingtons in the UK, where it is still sold as Cluedo. The current Hasbro board game plays 2 to 6 people aged 8 and up, and each game hides one suspect, one weapon and one room for players to work out.

Clue Junior is rated for ages 4 and up and fits two games on one double-sided board. For travel or a quick round, the Clue Suspect card game skips the board. The Clue editions guide also covers themed and vintage boxes for collectors.

Monopoly editions by age and time

Monopoly has editions for most ages and schedules. Monopoly Junior is rated for ages 5 and up for 2 to 4 players. Monopoly Deal is a card game that plays in about 15 minutes, which suits a group that likes the theme but not a long evening.

For collectors and fans, special and themed Monopoly editions keep the familiar rules with new boards and tokens. The Monopoly editions guide sorts the main versions by age and group size.

Classic games that travel well

A full classic board is not always practical on a trip, at a cabin or on a small café table. Monopoly Deal and the Clue Suspect card game both drop the board entirely. Clue Suspect is made for 3 to 4 players, with a variant for 2, and comes as an 86-card deck.

Backgammon also packs down well. Crisloid’s Classic Green Tournament Attaché opens to 30.25 by 20.75 inches for play and closes to a case of 15 by 20.75 by 3.5 inches, so a full-size board travels like a briefcase. Smaller roll-up and magnetic sets give up board size for weight.

Cribbage needs only a board, pegs and a deck of cards. A slim 2 track board fits in most bags, and folding boards have a compartment for the pegs and cards.

Picking a classic board game for the right person

Ask two questions before buying a classic board game. First, does the person already own the standard version? If they do, a nicer board, a travel set or a themed edition adds something new. Second, who will they play with? A couple, a family with young children and a group of friends each need a different game. For more ideas sorted by interest, see board game gifts by interest.

Popular classic board game guides

Cribbage boards2 track, 3 track and 4 player boards, and the 121-hole standard.Photo: Andrew Malone / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Backgammon setsWooden, leather and monogrammed sets compared by size and case.

Clue editionsClassic Clue, Clue Junior, the card game and themed versions.

Monopoly editionsJunior, Deal and special editions sorted by age and group.