| Backgammon isn't just any game. It may be the oldest game in the history of humankind. An ancient version was first developed in one of the first known human civilizations, Mesopotamia, in what's now the Middle East. Throughout the centuries, various games that resemble what we know today as Backgammon have popped up all over the world under many names: Senat in Egypt, Takhteh Nard in Persia, and Tabula in Rome. Various invasions and conquests spread one version or another across Europe and Asia; one very old game similar to Backgammon, played in India, is still well known today: Parcheesi. In fact, some say that the board we use today was created in the time of ancient Greece!
Backgammon as we know it came about in the 17th century in England, where it was more commonly known as “tables.” Edmund Hoyle, one of the best-known names in the gaming world, spread these rules in one of his famed books. One of the more recent additions, dating from the 1920's or so, is the doubling cube, which is thought to decrease the role of luck in the game.
Today, Backgammon is still one of most popular games in the world, with hundreds of clubs online and even more in the real world, not to mention the casual or family games that go on every day. A game of intense skill with a little luck thrown in, Backgammon will probably exist as long as the human race plays games.
If you're looking for a good game of Backgammon or just want to learn how to play, a variety of options are available to you at MSN Games. You can play against a friend or the computer, or select Quick Match and we’ll find you an opponent of similar ability to compete against. You can also play and chat with your friends at the same time via MSN Messenger. | |
