Ambassador Games Classic Games Backgammon

Backgammon is one of the oldest games still actively played today, alongside other ancient games such as Go and Chess. Precursors of backgammon such as the ancient Roman game "Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum" (translated as Twelve-lined Game) date back to as early as 3000 BC. Another Roman-linked backgammon ancestor was the game called "Duodecum Scripta et Tabulae" or "Tables" for short. The Roman emperor Claudius was an avid player, and would play on the back of his chariot during long journeys. The word backgammon first appeared in print in 1645, with most historians agreeing it stems from the Middle English baec = back and gamen = game. The game grew in popularity all over the world, while enduring constant battles with authorities and the church who wanted it banned due to its gambling element. Backgammon is a two-player game where each player has fifteen pieces that move between twenty-four triangles according to the roll of two dice. The objective of the game is to be first to bear off, meaning to move all fifteen checkers off the board. Like all great games, it involves a combination of strategy and luck. While the dice may determine the outcome of a single game, the better player will accumulate the better record over a series of many games. With each roll of the dice, players must choose from numerous options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves by the opponent. The optional use of a doubling cube allows players to raise the stakes during the game.