Easy-to-Play Backgammon

Backgammon - An Ancient Game in the Modern Age

Backgammon is a game of both luck and skill with its origins traced as far back as 3000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia. The game has slowly evolved over the centuries, becoming popular not only amongst social clubs and informal gatherings, but also in online gaming and casinos. Thus, it is recognized the world over as an ancient game played in the modern age.

As early as 476 AD, a game very similar to modern backgammon was played in ancient Rome. Its board had 24 points and the game's objective involved being the first to bear off all of one's checkers before one's opponent.

In the 11th century, predecessors of today's backgammon, first appeared in France and was frequently played by gamblers to pass the time. Its popularity then spread throughout the European territories - Germany, Iceland, Sweden and eventually, Britain.

By the 18th century, backgammon became popular among the English clergy. So popular was the game that a book entitled "A Short Treatise on the Game of Backgammon" was published, describing the rules of the game, which kick-started the basis for Backgammon as we know it today.

The essence of modern day Backgammon is such that a player must move his checkers past those of his opponent's and then remove them from the board. The board contains an alignment of twelve long triangles on either side, forming a continuous track in the shape of a horseshoe. Due to the short playing time for each individual game, it is often preferred to be played in matches where victory is awarded to the first player that reaches the highest number of points.

Eventually, the game has evolved through time also because of the differences in geographic regions wherein a number of different strategies and variants arose, making use of the players skill. Variants such as "Acey-deucey", "Hypergammon", "Nackgammon", and "Old English" were later developed and played in local Backgammon clubs where a growing interest in the game is widely attributed to its popularity on the World Wide Web.

In the wired-up world of gaming sites and online casinos, Backgammon gambling is currently ranked as one of the most popular online games. With players available almost any time of the day around the globe, one can easily find an opponent closer to one's skill level and abilities.

It is no wonder that Backgammon has slowly become famous in the modern age and on the internet. The idea of luck and skill being intertwined brings about common excitement to its players, and although it is a game with its roots founded in ancient history, its growing popularity amongst the old and the young is still evident in today's modern age. It is truly an online gaming phenomenon that has passed the test of time!