Backgammon
History:
Backgmmon is believed to have been played in various forms for the past 5,000 years and is possibly the world's oldest game. Quaflan, an Indian sage, is said to have modeled the game after the 12 signs of the Zodiac. The game consists of 24 points, believed to represent the hours of a day, 30 checkers for the days of the month and the two dice for night and day. The game came to be called "Takhteh Nard" meaning "Battle on a Wood Table." From Persia, the game spread to Egypt at around 3,000 BCE where it was called "Tau," and later "Senet," which means "30 Stones." Ancient Backgammon tables were discovered in the tomb of Pharoah Tutankhamon. Persia also introduced the game (via military conquest) to China, where it was called "T'shu'pu."
The Romans learned the game from the Egyptians and called it "Ludus Duodecium Scriptorum," the game of twelve lines. Plato, Zeno, Nero, Claudius and Commodius were all known to play on occasion. By the first century AD, the game came to be known in Rome as "Tabula," (Table), and then "Alea," (Gambling). Tabula is believed to have fueled the gambling craze in the Roman Empire that eventually led the Republic to ban it. By this time, the game had spread into Britain, where it came to be called "Bac Gamen," which means "Back Game" in old english.
By the 11th century, the game was being played under various names throughout Europe. In Iceland, it was called "Ad Elta Stelpur." In Spain, it was called "Sixe-Ace." France develolped its own version called "Tric-Trac."
The Catholic Church attempted to ban the game until the 15th century, when Chess began to eclipse Backgammon in popularity. By the 17th century, Backgammon had experienced a resurgence and once again populated palaces and taverns alike throughout europe.
In the 1930's, American players introduced the "doubling cube," which exponentially increased the "points" (or cash) one could win or lose by playing. Backgammon is still regarded in some parts of the world as primarily a gambling tool, although it can be played for recreation.
The Rules:
The Backgammon board, shown above in the starting configuration, is divided into four quadrants: White's Home Table (points 1-6), White's Outer Table (points 7-12), Black's Outer Table (points13-18), and Black's Home Table (points 19-24). Also, the left and right halves are divided by the Bar. Each quadrant contains 6 "points," which may be indicated by lines or triangles. The size and color of the points are irrelevant. 30 round pieces are used, as well as 2 dice and an optional doubling cube. The object of the game is for a player to move their pieces into their own Home Table and then remove them from the board.
The game begins with both players throwing one die. The player with the higher roll gets first turn and uses the result of both dice as their opening move. The player may move one piece by the number of points indicated by each die. White pieces must always move counterclockwise, from high points to low points, while Black moves clockwise, from low to high. For example, in the case of rolling a 6 and a 3, White may choose to move a piece from 24 to 18, and a piece from 13 to 10, as shown below in figure 1:
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figure 1 White moves two pieces |
figure 2 White moves one piece twice |
White could also have moved a single piece by 6, and thence by a further 3, as long as the 6th and 3rd points visited were open, as in figure 2. A point is open as long as fewer than 2 enemy pieces occupy that point. If one Black piece is on a point that a White has ended its move on, that Black piece is moved to the bar. A lone piece is called a "blot," and when a blot is captured and placed on the bar by another piece, that is called a "hit." A piece may always land on a point occupied by any number of friendly pieces. In the case of both dice showing the same result, the player makes four moves. In the case of double 5's, the player may proceed as if four dice were thrown. A player may not skip a move if it is possible to make one, even if it forces an unfavorable play. If a player cannot make any moves, play proceeds to the other player.
When two or more pieces of one color occupy a point, they cannot be hit and have "made the point," preventing enemy pieces from landing there. A point that has been made is also called a "closed" point. If six points in a row are all "made" by the same side, then enemy pieces cannot possibly move past them.
If a player begins their turn with any pieces on the bar, they must attempt to bring these pieces back into the game. A piece re-enters the bar from the opponent's inner table. So, a White piece re-entering from the bar moves in from beyond point 24.
For example, if White has 2 pieces on the bar and rolls 4 and 2, they may move a piece to point 23 and another to point 21, as in figure 3. White may not move one piece to 23 and thence to 19, since that would leave a piece still on the bar. If either 23 or 21 is blocked, White must re-enter whatever piece they can and forfeit the blocked move. In the case of both 23 and 21 being closed, White would not be able to do anything until the next turn, as in figure 4.
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figure 3 White moves pieces from the bar |
figure 4 White is blocked |
Once a player has all of their pieces in their home table, they may begin to "bear them off," or move them further off the table. In the case of White, they may move down past point 1 and off the table. Black would move further clockwise, past point 24. For example, White begins the turn and finds all of their pieces in the home table. The dice are rolled and show 2 and 2. White may now make four moves of two, since double rolls count as four moves. White has 2 pieces at the 2 point and bears them off. With the other two moves, White must bear off where possible, without wasting any moves if possible. Any pieces at the 1 point cannot be moved on a roll of 2 if there are pieces still on higher points. So, White uses the last two movements to move a piece from 4 to 2, and thence off the board, as in figure 5:
figure 5
White bears off three pieces
If any of White's pieces were to be hit next turn, White would have to re-enter the piece from the opposite table and move it all the way back around to the home table before bearing off any more pieces.
The rules of Backgammon establish that each player must roll their dice on the board half to their right. If the dice bounce out of the right hand side, or land so that they are on top of any pieces or the board edges, they must both be re-rolled. Players are forbidden to touch the dice until they have finished moving their pieces and play is ready to proceed to the other player. Once a piece is moved and the player has taken their hand from it, the move may not be taken back.
Typically, the winner of a backgammon game earns one point, or the amount of money waged times one. If a player finishes the game before their opponent has borne off any pieces, the result is a "gammon" and the winner's take is doubled. If the game ends with any of the loser's pieces still in the winner's home table and no pieces borne off, the loser is "backgammoned," and the winner's take is tripled.
The Doubling Cube, a 20th century innovation, is a further method of increasing the stakes during a game. The doubling cube is a 6-sided die with the numbers 2,4,8,16,32 and 64 on its sides. At the beginning of a player's turn, before the dice are thrown, that player may take the cube and offer it to the other player. The opponent may accept the cube, thereby doubling the stakes. The cube is then placed on the opponent's side with the "2" facing up. If the player does not accept the cube, they are "giving up" and thus forfeit the game. A player will usually offer the cube to their opponent when they feel they have the advantage. If a player accepts the cube, they have the option of offering it back to their opponent in the future and doubling the stakes further. Each time the cube changes hands, the next higher face is shown.
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