Backgammon: Origin, Evolution, and the Modern Game
Backgammon is basically a board game wherein two players move their respective pieces according to a roll of dice. The objective is to move all of the player's pieces out of the board, whoever does it first wins the game.
Originally, many believe that backgammon originated from the ancient Egyptian board game senet, as they strongly resemble each other in terms of rules and objectives. However, many would argue that the Royal Games of Ur, an ancient board game played in Mesopotamia, was actually the real origin of the game. As a matter of fact, archaeological excavations made in Iran unearthed a board game that existed around 3000 B.C. that is very similar to backgammon.
Of course, as time elapsed, modifications to the board game were made. The predecessor of backgammon namely jeux de tables was first seen in France. This was a popular past time for gamblers in France that time. In fact, Louis IX even issued a decree prohibiting his court officials and subjects to play the game.
Then on, a series of modifications in the aspects of the game were added until finally coming up with the modern version of the game which was first introduced in New York City. One major addition in the game is the use of doubling cube which is intended to speed up the game and to provide an additional dimension for strategy in the game. With the doubling cube, players are not only required to make the best move in a given position, but to also estimate the probability of winning in that position.
In modern backgammon, both players try to beat each other by moving past their opponent's pieces and remove them from the board. The player who accrues the most points, or number of own pieces removed wins the game.
Movement of pieces is determined by the number of pips shown on the dices rolled. Usually the first mover is determined by each players rolling a single die first and the one with greater pips moves first, then the opponent takes turns in moving their pieces.
Presently, backgammon has gained unprecedented popularity; in fact clubs that advocate the game are prevalent across many countries. Since 1979, when the first international tournament in Las Vegas was held, international competitions are now being held all the time. Currently, major tournaments are being held yearly in St. Tropez, Rio de Janeiro, Dallas, Texas, and Venice. It is also now a very popular form of gambling, and is now played in most casinos nationwide.
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