Backgammon: A Brief History of an Ancient Game

At about 5,000 years old, backgammon is arguably the oldest board game in the world. Because it is so ancient, the exact facts concerning the origins of the game are mysterious and often left to speculation. However, the common conception is that backgammon was born in the cradle of human civilization that was Mesopotamia (modern-day Iran, Iraq, and Syria). Archeologically discovered artifacts tell us that in those ancient times, backgammon was typically played on wood surfaces, using stones as markers. Dice were often made from animal bones, and were also used to predict the future and gamble on the present.



More recently, in late 2004, a discovery was made during the archeological excavation of the legendary Burnt City in Southeastern Iran near the border with Afghanistan. The Iranian archeologists at the site of this 5,000-year-old city unearthed what is believed to be the oldest backgammon relic in the world. This ancient backgammon set was comprised of a rectangular ebony board with 20 slots, and 60 agate and turquoise stone pieces inside a terracotta vessel beside the board. Experts are attempting to discern why and how the game was played on 20 slots with 60 pieces, instead of the 24 slots and 30 pieces found in today's backgammon sets.



Other archeological finds and ancient literary references reveal to us that ancient versions of backgammon were played by Sumerians (The Royal Game of Ur), as well as Egyptians (Senet), some 4,000 years ago. Ancient Romans played an offshoot of Senet called Tabula. Named after the special board or table on which it was played, Tabula was similar to today's backgammon in that the same board was used with 12 lines and 15 pieces, but was dissimilar in that the pieces had to be introduced onto the board with dice rolls. Furthermore, three dice were used instead of the two dice used today.



As the Roman Empire spread, so did the popularity of Tabula. The game became so popular that it caused a gambling mania that spread throughout ancient Rome, and led to the eventual illegalization of the game by the Republic. This is also when the game is thought to have been introduced to the Saxon tribes of Britain, which was conquered by Rome in the first century. During the times of the Crusades (11th to 13th centuries), knights returning home from the Arabic kingdoms of the Middle East again popularized backgammon amongst the European nobility. This is also when the use of two instead of three dice became standard. Under a variety of names, the popularity of the game spread throughout Europe, and later to the Americas by the first European settlers. However, it was not until 1745 that the official rules of the game were published by Edmond Hoyle in his Treatise on Backgammon.


The game we enjoy today uses many of Hoyle's rules, and incorporates one of the catalysts to backgammon's popularity – the doubling cube. Though the inventor of the doubling cube is unknown, some attribute its addition to a 1920s New York gambler. The use of the doubling cube adds several significant advancements to the game. Mainly, it incorporates the added elements of skill and gamble, thus enabling players to bring one-sided games to a quick conclusion. Games in which one player holds a moderate advantage become far more exciting. Basically, the cube is used to double (or redouble) the stakes of the game being played between two players. Though 64 is the highest number on a standard doubling cube, the stakes can be raised to 128, 256, 512, and so on.



In 1969, Prince Alexis Obelensky (Oby), who learned backgammon as a child in Istanbul (where he and his family fled to escape the Russian Revolution), published Backgammon: The Action Game. As a result, he is credited with having invented the first systematic method of teaching the game. In his infinite love for the game, Oby also co-founded the International Backgammon Association, and organized and promoted backgammon tournaments, including the prestigious World Championships.



In the 1970s, the popularity of backgammon reached a pinnacle. Tournament prize pools swelled, and backgammon enjoyed a popularity that can be compared to the current poker craze. The game spread among age and social classes in Europe, America, and the world. Several great books followed, including Backgammon by Paul Magriel, himself a world champion player. To this day, Magriel's book is considered by many as the "backgammon bible."



Though backgammon dipped in popularity during the 1980s, today it is poised to make a revolutionary comeback. Much like poker, backgammon is benefiting from the advent of personal computing. Not only can the intricacies and strategies of the game be efficiently taught by backgammon software programs, but the advent of the Internet ensures that the game can literally be played anytime, anywhere, and against anyone in the world. Welcome to the backgammon revolution.



E-mail Thor at: [email protected].