Backgammon: Then and Now

Backgammon is arguably the oldest game in history. Through the centuries, it has evolved from a board game for leaders of ancient civilizations to the online gaming sensation it has now become. It may come as a surprise but the online game we know and love is approximately 5000 years old! Let's take a look at the game's history.

The game of backgammon is said to have began in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Known as "Senat" among the Egyptians, the game was played initially by members of royalty. Archeological digs turned up the oldest Senat boards which are dated from as far back as 3000 B.C. Not much is known about the game itself but the boards were made up of 30 squares.

Through the centuries, different variations of the game turned up. In Ancient Rome, backgammon was known as "The Game of Twelve Lines" and was apparently derived from the Egyptian's Senat. It was composed of 15 ebony and 15 ivory markers (slightly similar to today's backgammon set-up). The game then evolved into the "Tabula" which reached Britain during the Roman invasion. Centuries later, the Tabula was transformed into Alea, which is much closer to the modern backgammon game we now play. A backgammon-like game, known as the Nard, also became popular in Asia and the Persian Empire. It was also popular in China and Japan under different names.

During the Middle-ages, the Church banned the game but its popularity continued to grow. Players learned to play on boards scratched in the soil or on stone. Thus, backgammon survived. Backgammon was officially recorded first in Britain where it was known as Tables. Edward Hoyle, considered by some as the most influential gamer, published a treatise on backgammon that included the game's history and rules.

The birth of modern backgammon began in New York City in the 1920's with the introduction of the doubling cube. Decades later, backgammon gained international renown with the first World Championships. The 1970's were considered the glory days of backgammon as numerous articles, books and other works were published on the subject.

With the advent of computers and the Internet, the game of backgammon has reached a whole new level. Online gaming has made backgammon an international sensation with tens of thousands of players competing around the world. Online backgammon tournaments are hosted regularly. And players of all ages, races and creeds come together to compete.

Looking back at the history of backgammon, it's hard to believe that this strategic and online game started as mere squares on a board thousands of years ago. From Ancient Times to the age of computers, backgammon has become one of the best-loved games of all time.