6 Little-Known Facts About Backgammon

Backgammon is one of the oldest board games in existence. It is still being played around the world by both the young and old generations. Backgammon tournaments are also quite popular in many countries, and there is a chance to earn valuable prizes if you are one of the best players. Thanks to the internet, you can now even play it online with complete strangers. For example, Backgammon Live on come2play lets you compete against complete strangers at any time of the day or night.

But, a lot of people still do not know much about this beautiful game. Even those who play it often do not know much more about it than the rules. For that reason, we have decided to share several interesting little-known facts about backgammon that you can share with your friends next time you play it.

Backgammon Is More Than 5,000 Years Old

As far as we know, backgammon is at least 5,000 years old. The oldest known evidence about the age of this game comes from Iran. Scientists found an ebony board with markers and a pair of archaic dice, though this is just the oldest evidence that we know about. Perhaps the game is even older than that.

This version of backgammon is different from the one we play today, but the crux is pretty much the same. At the time, it was played by the royalty and intellectuals who used it as one of the favorite ways to pass the time.

The First Backgammon Tournament

Even though backgammon is more than 5,000 years old, the first international tournament was held in 1964. It was organized by the Imperial Prince Alexis Obolensky, who was a huge fan of the game and very good at playing it. He was also the head of the World Backgammon Club which was based in Manhattan.

After that, international backgammon tournaments became a lot more frequent, so players have lots of chances to compete against other skilled players in official events. Sadly, they do not get a lot of media coverage.

Bakelite Is the Best Material for Backgammon

Those of us who have been playing backgammon for years know that backgammon boards and checkers can be made from different materials. They are made of plastic, wood, metal, and so on. But the best material for backgammon boards is definitely Bakelite. The most prestigious boards are made of it because it is extremely durable and slides well. Old bakelite backgammon sets are very valuable and highly collectible.

Online Backgammon Is Gaining Traction

More and more people choose to play backgammon online on specialized sites. Even though there’s nothing better than sitting at a table with a friend or foe and rolling the dice, backgammon websites offer a lot of conveniences.

These sites often offer backgammon only, or other popular games as well, such as Bingo Blitz, the free online bingo. Playing backgammon online also allows you to find an opponent without much hassle and to play either for free or for real money, depending on what you prefer.

The Catholic Church Banned Backgammon

The Catholic church didn’t approve of a lot of things back in the days. One such thing was Backgammon, which they banned during the sixteenth century. They ordered the boards to be burned, just like numerous books that they deemed unholy. Luckily, people managed to save the game from destruction by playing in secrecy.

This is also the time when foldable backgammon boards were invented. Backgammon enthusiasts started making backgammon boards that resembled books so that the church could not find them. The design was actually quite good, so it has remained in use even today.

Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians Loved Backgammon

Backgammon was popular around the world as early as 1,500 BC. We know this because the boards dating from that period were found in numerous places around the world. The three most developed societies at the time − Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians − all loved to play backgammon.

Egyptians even developed a mechanical device for casting the dice, which made it harder to cheat. This was important for them because they used to play backgammon for money. Finally, a backgammon board was even found in King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt.