History of Backgammon

Throughout the course of history many ancient civilisations have played board games similiar to backgammon, whereby the moves made were controlled by the throwing of dice. Egyptians played a game called Senet. Mesopotamia had a game that closely resembled modern board games this was known as the Royal Game of Ur. Iran also laid claim to a board game which was uncovered in archealogical digs at the 'Burnt City' where dice and 60 pieces of a set dating to 3000bc some 200 years older than the Ur set.

The ancient Greeks were known to play very similiar games to backgammon while the romans had a game called Ludos Duodecim Scriptorum (the game of twelve lines) this used a board with 3 rows of 12 points each, and the pieces a more obvious ancestor of modern backgammon boards is the game known as tabula (see diagram) Backgammon at Ladbrokes

There is an early description of tabula by Agathias of Myrine (527–567), who describing a game played the Byzantine Emperor Zeno (476–481), states that he went from a strong position to a very weak one after an unfortunate dice roll.

It is believed that Tabula was a later refinement of ludus duodecim scriptorum, with the board's middle row of points removed, and only the two outer rows remaining. Played on a board nearly identical to a modern backgammon board. Played by two players who had 15 pieces each, and moved them in opposing directions around the board, according to the roll of three dice. A piece resting alone in a space on the board was vulnerable to being hit.Backgammon at Ladbrokes

Jeux de tables are without doubt the ancestors of the modern backgammon boards they first appeared in France during the 11th century and quickly became a gamblers favourite pastime. By 1254 King Louis IX was so concerned that he issued a proclamation banning court officials and subjects from playing.

By the 18th century backgammon was very popular in England particular amongst the clergy Edmund Hoyle published a short treatise on the game of backgammon in 1743 this laid down the rules and strategy for the modern game. The game remained unchanged until the mid 1920's when the doubling cube was introduced. Backgammon at Ladbrokes