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Backgammon has been popular for several millennia. It is played all over the world - both in the East and in the West.
It is hard to imagine, but this ancient oriental game has been known to mankind for over 5,000 years. The oldest board for the game was found in modern-day Iran in the third millennium BC.
According to one version, Ancient Persia is considered the birthplace of backgammon. According to legend, the Hindus, wanting to test the ingenuity of the Persians, sent them a set of chess. They believed that the Persians would not guess how to play this game. However, the Persian sage not only easily coped with this task, but also invented his own game, which the Hindus could not solve for 12 years. Another version says that backgammon came from Ancient Egypt. A backgammon board was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
Backgammon as a gift
Ancient boards and checkers were made of stone or wood, and the dice were carved from bones, stones, or molded from clay. The game of backgammon was considered mystical: they even tried to predict the future with it. The playing field symbolized the sky, the movement of the chips - the movement of the stars, and each half of the board, consisting of 12 marks - 12 months. In addition, most disputes in the East were resolved with the help of backgammon. It is for this reason that in none of the versions of the rules is there a possibility of a draw.
There is a legend that once a Persian prince was asked which of the two games - chess or backgammon - seemed wiser to him. He answered as follows: "Chess - is a wonderful game, but backgammon - is much wiser. If in chess one player is stronger, he will certainly win, and this gives rise to pride. In backgammon, even the most experienced player knows that no matter how smart he is, the dice can fall out unsuccessfully and he will lose. So backgammon teaches a person both wisdom and humility".
Backgammon came to Western countries thanks to the return of the Crusaders from the Crusades in the 12th century. The game became popular in medieval Europe, and in different countries it received its own name. Sometimes it simply meant «board game», as among the Spaniards, Italians and Turks; sometimes it was the original name: among the French – trik-trak, among the English – backgammon.
Playing backgammon was initially allowed only to representatives of the higher aristocracy, but gradually it became popular in all strata of society. The establishment of European rules of the game was taken up by the Englishman Edmond Hoyle in the 18th century. European backgammon was called «short», and Eastern – «long».
The game of backgammon is accompanied by many superstitions. It is believed that you cannot cross your arms and legs during the game, since luck will not accompany the player. It is better not to look at the dice during the throw, so as not to cast a jinx. In addition, every experienced player should have his own lucky charm. Backgammon as a gift is considered one of the best options for business people. According to beliefs, receiving backgammon as a gift means finding the path to success. This makes backgammon a desirable gift for businessmen. You can also buy chess in our online store.
