Luxury backgammon

Arguably, backgammon is one of the oldest board games in existence. A board game similar to backgammon was played in Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq) about 5,000 years ago. A game that looks almost like today’s backgammon was described in a Persian book and, almost concurrently, in an Indian book about games dating back to the 6th century.

In the beginning of a game, each player needs to roll one die: then, the player with the higher number moves first. That player does not roll the dice again, but will play the two numbers just rolled. If the players roll the same number, they must roll again.

Iraq (ancient Mesopotamia), Iran (ancient Persia) and India may have been the inventors of backgammon. The earliest mention of the rules of backgammon appears in a Persian book about games that dates back to the mid-6th century. Almost concurrently, an Indian book, dating back to the late 6th century, mentions backgammon and its dice. However, scholars believe that the earliest version of the game existed in Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq) already around 2,600 BC.

Acey-Deucey is a popular variation of backgammon featuring some important differences (players need to introduce the pieces to the board in the beginning).
Backgammon Live is a free download application that enables backgammon lovers to play online.
In Russian backgammon, all fifteen checkers start from a single position, and cannot be hit by opponent’s checkers.
In hypergammon, each player begins with only three pieces placed on the three most distant points of the board (the 22-point, the 23-point and the 24-point).

Backgammon is one of the oldest games on the planet, with the earliest games similar to it existing about 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq) and Persia (today’s Iran). The Mesopotamian Royal Game of Ur dating back to 2,600 BC may be an ancestor of modern-day table games like backgammon. A game that looks almost like today’s backgammon was described in a Persian book and, almost concurrently, in an Indian book about games dating back to the 6th century.

Acey-Deucey is one of the most popular varieties of backgammon. It probably originated from Turkey or Greece and was brought to the USA by American soldiers during the World War I. Acey-Deucey has some important differences as compared to the regular backgammon, in particular, players begin the game with no pieces on the board and have to introduce their pieces to the board.

Backgammon has enjoyed popularity for centuries because the game is quite simple and fascinating at once. Backgammon is like life in many ways: it relies on both skill and luck. Timing, ongoing reaction to unpredictable situations and continual adjusting is essential. The combination of unpredictability and strategical thinking makes backgammon an entertaining and educative game.

Backgammon relies on both strategical skill and luck, which makes it a splendid entertainment. Backgammon requires continual adjusting to the changing situation, therewith improving memory and cognition abilities of players. Despite the element of luck, skill is crucial for a good backgammon player, which is proven time and time again in tournaments.

Backgammon is a dice game and involves a great deal of luck: even a beginner has a chance to beat a stronger player. Chess does not have an element of luck, so it requires much more skill and intellectual strain than backgammon. Backgammon is like life in many ways: the combination of unpredictability, continual tactical adjusting and need for strategy makes it a highly enjoyable game.

A backgammon set includes two sets of checkers (or pieces, or men) and a board on which the checkers are moved. The goal of the game is to move all of one’s own checkers past opponent’s checkers and then remove them from the board. In the process, the pieces may be blocked or hit by the opponent.

Backgammon boards come in various sizes, depending on the players’ level. Smaller sets (12 to 16 inches from top to bottom) are suitable for travel, while medium-sized boards (16 to 19 inches) are good for casual players as they allow for easy movement. For backgammon tournaments, the board should be a minimum of 17’’ x 21.5’’ and a maximum of 26’’ x 34.5’’.

Custom backgammon sets are expensive because they are made out of premium materials and feature top-notch handicraft to provide superb gaming experience. Upscale backgammon sets use rare woods (such as rosewood or Karelian birch), amber or other precious materials. Each stage of the production process is supervised by experienced craftsmen to secure utmost quality.

Some customers ask whether they can personalize their backgammon set by adding a name or monogram. Manufacturers of custom backgammon sets offer such an opportunity. You can order a backgammon set with a name, logo, initials, monogram or even your family crest to be custom made for you.