Backgammon (backgammon, backgammon, tawla, shesh-besh, kosha) is a game for two players. It takes place on a board consisting of two halves. Players throw dice and move checkers, the number of moves is determined by the points on the dice. The player's task is to go around the board and draw the checkers before the opponent does.
Game history
The prototype of backgammon was known in Ancient Egypt under the name of Senet in the 4th century BC. In Mesopotamia, there was a royal game "hurray". In the state of Shahri-Sukhta on the territory of modern Iran, three millennia BC, people used two bones and 60 chips.
The direct ancestor of backgammon is the Roman tabula, described by the Byzantine emperor Flavius Zeno in the 5th century. In this game, a 24-point board was already used, and the players were throwing the dice and advancing the chips towards each other. Thanks to the detailed description, we know that the rules have hardly changed.
For a long time, backgammon in Europe was forgotten, they were remembered only in the XII century, when the crusaders brought the game from the campaigns. True, backgammon was then called "trick-track". The rules of "Short Backgammon", close to modern ones, were formulated in 1743 by the Englishman Edmond Hoyle. "Long backgammon" is more common in the East.
Now backgammon is popular everywhere, in many countries there are clubs of fans of the game, tournaments are held.
Interesting Facts
- According to legend, in the distant past, the Indians handed chess to the Persians without explaining the game. In this way, arrogant mathematicians wanted to demonstrate their intellectual superiority. Soon a caravan arrived from Persia, and in an oak casket, the Indians found a parchment with the rules of the game of chess and an inlaid backgammon board.
- In Persia, backgammon was treated with reverence, the attributes and rules of the game were considered special symbols. 12 points of the field correspond to the number of months in a year, 24 points on both halves of the board - the number of hours in a day. According to the games played at a certain time, the court sages made predictions about wars, crops and other important issues.
- Backgammon players believe in omens. For example, you cannot talk badly about dice so that luck does not leave, and during the throw it is better not to look at them.
Now you do not need to look for a backgammon partner, you can start the game at any time. Place checkers, roll the dice and may luck be favorable to you!
