| Most everyone loves the game of backgammon but | | | | with 15 pieces allotted to each player. The object of |
| have you ever wondered about theorigin of | | | | the game was the sameas it is today where the |
| backgammon? It goes back a very long way, over | | | | players had to get all their pieces removed from the |
| 5000 years ago. It is believedto be the oldest recorded | | | | board in orderto win the game. The first one to do this |
| game in the world and is believed to have started in | | | | was the winner. In ancient times there was alittle |
| ancient | | | | difference in that no pieces were allowed on the |
| Mesopotamia, which is present day Iraq. The name | | | | board at the start of a game, but hadto be entered by |
| backgammon in English is derivedfrom the word "back" | | | | rolling the dice. Back then three dice were used instead |
| plus the Middle English word "gamen" which means | | | | of two. The restof the game was played out the |
| game. | | | | same as we play today. After they entered the board |
| Backgammon was played by the ancient Romans, but | | | | theyplayed their pieces around in the same direction as |
| was called Tabula and was slightlydifferent than the | | | | we do now. |
| backgammon we know today. Tabula means "table" | | | | There have been recent excavations in Iran that |
| or "board" sincethe game was played on a special | | | | shows that a form of backgammon was inuse as far |
| board. This game has some resemblance to the | | | | back as 3000 BC. Some of the artifacts that were |
| Egyptian game Senet, which dates back to 3000 BC. | | | | found were such things as twodie and sixty pieces. |
| The game of Tabula was very similar to today's | | | | This set is believed to be one hundred to two hundred |
| backgammon and players used the samekind of board | | | | years olderthan the oldest set found in the Ur. |