Why is it called backgammon?

There are a couple possible sources for the word. One is bach cammaun—Welsh for “small battle.” Another source that may be more plausible comes from Middle English: baec gamen. This means “back game,” which describes how the point of backgammon is to make your pieces go back home, and then get back off the board.

Why is backgammon named backgammon?

The word Backgammon first appeared in print in 1645. No one knows for sure where the name came from, but most scholars agree that likely it comes from the Middle English baec = back and gamen = game. Together, these two words roughly translate to “back” and “battle”.

What was backgammon originally called?

In 1666, it is reported that the "old name for backgammon used by Shakespeare and others" was Tables. However, it is clear from Willughby that "tables" was a generic name and that the phrase "playing at tables" was used in a similar way to "playing at cards".

Why did the church ban backgammon?

The game continued to be played throughout the latter stages of the last millennium but it had constant battles with authorities and the church who wanted to ban it because of the gambling element. Its popularity continued through Victorian times and it was very popular at country house weekend parties.

Where did the game backgammon come from?

Believed to date back 5,000 years, archaeological discoveries in ancient Mesopotamia – modern-day Iraq – in the 1920s give us a tantalising glimpse of the game's potential origins: six artifacts that look remarkably like today's backgammon boards, one with dice and different coloured playing pieces still intact.

Backgammon: The Cruellest Game in Art

Is backgammon the oldest game in the world?

Backgammon is one of the oldest games in existence, alongside Go and Chess. It is probably about 5,000 years old and may well have originated in what today is Iraq—previously Mesopotamia. Recent evidence supporting this was found when these very early dice (made of human bones) were discovered in the area.

Is backgammon still banned by the Catholic Church?

The Catholic Church Banned Backgammon

One such thing was Backgammon, which they banned during the sixteenth century. They ordered the boards to be burned, just like numerous books that they deemed unholy. Luckily, people managed to save the game from destruction by playing in secrecy.

Is backgammon good for the brain?

Backgammon can boost memory and cognition abilities in people of all ages. Through playing board games, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are given a workout. These areas are responsible for memory formation and complex thought processes.

What is the raccoon rule in backgammon?

A raccoon is another optional rule similar to a beaver. If a player beavers, then in games that allow raccoons, the opponent (the one who offered the original double) can re-double on the beaver, and then gain the cube again. Games that allow raccoons often become high stakes games very quickly.

What is the oldest game in the world still played?

Go, also known as Wei Qi, is an abstract strategy board game for two players in which the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent. The game was invented in China more than 2,500 years ago and is believed to be the oldest board game continuously played to the present day.

Why do rich people play backgammon?

Why do rich people play backgammon? Backgammon appeals to the wealthy because it is a fast game that lends itself easily to betting. Skill is critical to winning, but, unlike chess, the dice add an element of luck that makes the game exciting in its unpredictability.

What do Israelis call backgammon?

That's right, Backgammon, or in Israel, commonly known as Sheshbesh.

What is the 13 point commonly referred to as in backgammon?

Q: What is the mid-point? That is the name of the point on your opponent's side of the board where you have a stack of five checkers at the start of the game. It is also called your "13-point" because the checkers on that point are 13 spaces away from being borne off. The opponent's mid-point is your 12-point.

Is backgammon harder than Chess?

Because backgammon is a dice game, anybody has a chance to win against anyone else. That's certainly not true in chess. In terms of becoming excellent in either one, a lot of theory and principles are required for both, but there's a lot more complexity in chess.

What do Turks call backgammon?

Tavla is the Turkish name for backgammon. The rules are very similar but there are some differences. If you want to learn more about Tavli, check out this page. In Iran, the same game is played under the name Takhteh.

What is backgammon called in Russia?

The game is usually just known as Nardy or Nardi in Russian, but called Long Nardy to distinguish it from Backgammon which they call 'Short Nardy'. English sources sometimes mistranslate Nardy as "Backgammon", so the game is sometimes incorrectly called Long Backgammon.

What is a joker in backgammon?

Backgammon Glossary/Joker. Joker. Joker. An exceptionally good roll, especially a roll that reverses the likely outcome of the game; a roll much luckier than average.

What is the 8 9 12 rule in backgammon?

Backgammon Glossary/8-9-12 Doubling Rule. A guideline for cube handling in pure race positions. You should double if the opponent's pip count exceeds yours by 8% or more, and redouble if it exceeds yours by 9% or more. Your opponent should accept the double if his pip count exceeds yours by no more than 12%.

What is the 25% rule in backgammon?

What is the 25% rule in backgammon? The basic rule of doubling: If you expect to win at least 25% of the time, then you can (and should) accept a double. A player who is offered a double may refuse to accept it, in which case they concede the game and pay one point.

Can backgammon go on forever?

There is some move such that the chance the game has ended by that move is at least 99%, at least 99.999%, etc. so the chance that a game continues forever is 0. This result, like the bulk of mathematics, involves little computation.

Is backgammon older than chess?

Backgammon is another ancient game that is even older than Chess. In 2004, archaeologists discovered a gameboard in the ancient city of Shahr-e Sukhteh in Iran resembling the game of Backgammon. The board was dated to around 3000 BCE and is believed to be the oldest Backgammon board ever found.

Why is backgammon so addictive?

Backgammon Can Be An Addictive Game

Well, because it is fun, entertaining, and immersive. Which, in turn, means it's addictive. Like most addictive games, Backgammon has depth but also an element of luck. It makes a player want to play again and again as each time they feel like they are improving and learning.

Can you play backgammon backwards?

The rules are the same as the game typically played in Turkey, except one can choose to move forward or backward. When no moves are possible forward, the person must then move backward. We found this Reverse-Backgammon to be extremely interesting and fun to play.

What country is backgammon most popular?

Is backgammon a Middle Eastern game?

While other games--chess, bridge, even poker--have made inroads from time to time, backgammon has been for centuries the pastime of the Middle East. Rare is the house in the Arab world without the carved wooden board and counters.