| The oldest recorded game in history, | | | | remove them from play and win the game. |
| Backgammon is a relatively simple game that has | | | | As well as being a fun family game, Backgammon |
| reached wide popularity. The origins of | | | | is also played in championships like Chess and |
| backgammon extend into medieval history and its | | | | sometimes for money. The rules are riddled with |
| true roots are thought to be in ancient Rome and | | | | additional systems that vary from place to place |
| even Mesopotamia, over 2000 years BC. | | | | and often extend the game or make it more |
| Backgammon is a two player board game of | | | | strategic. For example a 'doubling cube' is |
| strategy comparable to chess where each player | | | | sometimes used; a six sided dice with the |
| must negotiate 15 pieces through 24 pointed | | | | numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 on it. This is called |
| sections of the board, aiming to b the first to get | | | | upon by a player seeking to double the stakes |
| all their pieces off the board. The game is based | | | | and adds to the depth of the strategy. Other |
| on dice rolling so chance is an element but | | | | recognised rules are the Jacoby Rule used more in |
| strategy comes into play with making choices and | | | | money play and the Crawford Rule which seeks |
| also with the many variants that exist. | | | | to make the game more balanced. Strategies |
| The pieces are scattered and the player must get | | | | used in Backgammon have their own names, such |
| them from point to point until all of the pieces are | | | | as the Running game, the Holding game, The Blitz, |
| on their side of the board. The points are | | | | the Backgame and the Priming game. This is |
| numbered and the pieces can only move from | | | | typical of the jargon associated with games that |
| high numbered points to lower numbered points, | | | | have a kind of inner language for serious players. |
| making a kind of race. The player's end of the | | | | Nevertheless Backgammon remains very popular |
| board is called the home board and they must | | | | with casual users and children and has been made |
| have all their pieces there in order to 'bear off', i.e. | | | | into a variety of computer based versions. |