Backgammon club offers "alternative night out" for socializing

Why it matters: Tabletop games are riding a post-pandemic surge in popularity for analog entertainment, as millennials and Gen Zers ditch their digital doomscrolling for classic pastimes like chess and mahjong.

Driving the news: Friends Gina Macropulos and Eugenia Camargo tell Axios they created Backgammon Social to offer an "alternative night out" for Miamians looking to meet new people outside typical social settings.

• Since October, they've hosted weekly backgammon meetups at local spots like Caracas Bakery, Soho House and The Bass Museum.
• Local DJs set a "lively" vibe, but you can still hear yourself speak.
• Entry ranges from free to $30, depending on whether food and drink are included.
• You can BYOB (bring your own board) or borrow one from the club.

How it works: The classic boardgame, which traces its roots back to ancient times, is played on a board of 24 narrow triangles.

• The objective is to move your 15 checkers around the board, with the help of favorable dice rolls, until you remove them completely from the board.
• "We love teaching beginners," Macropulos says.

What they're saying: Macropulos, 29, tells Axios she learned how to play backgammon in her native Greece and has fond memories of clacking dice on the beach with her father.

• In Greece, it's a male-dominated game, she says. Men drink coffee and smoke cigars while playing for money. "Not glamorous," she says.
• "We're taking this ancient game. We're bringing it the glamour of Miami and giving it this modern twist."

The big picture: Camargo, 30, says the growth of Backgammon Social is proof of concept for analog entertainment.

• Young people today, she said, cherish "delayed satisfaction" of everything from film photography to vinyl DJ sets.
• "I think there's nostalgia for the romanticism of a past generation that didn't have everything digitalized."

Folks who attend Backgammon Social events don't need to be on their phones because they're using their hands to play, Camargo says.

• Macropulos adds: "They feel more comfortable talking to each other if they have a board in between themselves."

• "It's so beautiful. We've created friendships. We've created romantic relationships all through backgammon, and we want to bring that to other places and other cities."

What's next: The Miami chapter will be under different leadership soon, and a friend of the founders will launch a Philadelphia chapter next month.

• Macropulos is heading to Stanford in the fall to pursue a master's degree in business administration. She wants to start up a chapter there, too.
• Camargo, who is from Colombia, says her H-1B visa is expiring and she's "left in limbo," so she will consider pursuing a master's degree in Europe.
• "It sort of seems very dystopian that you have to jump through so many hoops and even when you're bringing value to a community ... you come to face this situation."

The bottom line: Camargo says Backgammon Social is "replicable anywhere in the world" because it's a timeless game "that's seeing a worldwide resurgence."

If you go: Backgammon Social and Knightcap Chess Club are hosting a joint event Thursday night at The Deck – Island Gardens.

• Tickets are $20 and include a complimentary cocktail.

Check the Backgammon Social Instagram page for more upcoming events.