Millions throughout the world play backgammon, checkers, and chess, among other board games. Out of that number, however, just a few know the history of the games they engage in. Ask a person how to play backgammon and he'll explain it for you without difficulty. Ask them why and how the game ended up played that way, and you'll probably get a blank look.
Board games have already been a part of societies and cultures throughout history and pre-history. Studies have shown that board games even pre-date literacy in some ancient cultures. This only proves how dated the activity is. According to experts, most early civilization board games were discovered in Egypt and the Mesopotamian region of the Middle East. Several of the board games still in existence today were conceived in that part of the world, like the popular game of backgammon.
Backgammon's history dates back almost 5,000 years. Archaeological excavations in Iran have exposed artifacts exhibiting pieces similar to the ones in use today. In addition, comparable games have been enjoyed in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
How to Play Backgammon
The game play of backgammon varies based on the culture that plays. Given that it's so old, every culture it's part of has contributed different aspects. Backgammon as it's played in the West resembles the game play used in the Renaissance and Medieval Europe.
Backgammon is the head of a group of board games called table games. These games are played on a board with 12 vertical markings called points. The movement of pieces is dependent upon the rolling of dice. The goal of the game is to get one's pieces to the opposite end of the track. Since this is so, backgammon is labeled as a race game. In addition, it is a multiplex type of racing game as it includes strategy while having a component of luck.
To begin the game, each player rolls one die, and the player with the higher number moves first. The number rolled also can determine the player's first move. In case a similar number is drawn, players have options in line with the version of the game they are playing. From here on, players roll the dice to know the movement of their checkers, and pieces go in a counterclockwise direction. A player's main objective return his or her checkers back onto his or her home board. As soon as all 15 checkers are back, the player can start "bearing off" the pieces.
How to play backgammon is dependent mostly on the version being played. The game play might be confusing and tricky initially, but it becomes easier and begins making sense as a participant goes along. Today, persons can play backgammon with an actual board game, or they could play online. Those that are curious about being familiar with the game and its intricacies can just go online.
