A Short History Lesson before You Play Backgammon

Millions throughout the world play backgammon, checkers, and chess, among other board games. Out of that number, however, just a few are aware of the history of the games they enjoy. Ask a person how to play backgammon and he’ll explain it for you very easily. Ask them why and how the game ended up played that way, and you’ll probably get a blank reply.

Board games have already been 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 historians, most early civilization board games were found in Egypt and the Mesopotamian region of the Middle East. A lot of the board games still in existence today have their roots in that area of the world, such as the popular game of backgammon.

Backgammon’s history dates back almost 5,000 years. Archaeological excavations in Iran have exposed artifacts displaying pieces similar to the ones in use today. Furthermore, similar games have been used in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

How to Play Backgammon

The game play of backgammon varies according to the culture that plays. Given that it’s so old, every culture it’s part of has contributed distinct aspects. Backgammon as it’s played in the Western world resembles the game play used in the Renaissance and Medieval Europe.

Backgammon is the head of a class 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 objective of the game is to get one’s pieces to the opposite end of the track. As this is so, backgammon is categorized as a race game. Additionally, it is a multiplex type of racing game because it incorporates strategy while keeping an element 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 according to the variant of the game they’re 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. When all 15 checkers have returned, the player can begin “bearing off” the pieces.

How to play backgammon depends mostly on the version being played. The game play may be mind-boggling and hard at first, but it becomes easier and starts making sense as a player goes along. Today, people can play backgammon using an actual board game, or they can play online. People who are interested in being familiar with the game and its intricacies can simply go online.

Marey Medlock is a games buff who has play backgammon and lots of other games.