Backgammon

The Game is said to be the oldest game in recorded history. Its origin stems from a version of this board game that was first played about 5,000 years ago in Ur of the Chaldees in Mesopotamia. In Greek, Mesopotamia means "between rivers". The Tigris and Euphrates rivers bordered this area situated just north of the Persian Gulf in present day Iraq and Kuwait. Between 2900-1800 BC, early civilizations of a very diverse people lived in these fertile valleys. Ur, also known as the home of the Biblical Abraham, was an important city of the Sumerian culture.

Backgammon Boards

Between 1922 and 1934, British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley uncovered treasures in a joint expedition by the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania Museum.
It was a spectacular discovery; the royal tombs at Ur revealed the Sumerian culture at its peak. In the enormous wealth of treasure unearthed, there is mention of "an inlaid gaming board", this being the oldest known Backgammon board ! Four other gaming boards were found in these tombs.


Although versions of the game can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt the earliest documented use of the word 'Backgammon' to describe the game we know today was listed in the Oxford English Dictionary of 1650.

It really a wonderful two player game and is a game during which pieces are moved around a board according to the roll of dice. The aim of the game is for each player to remove his/her pieces from the board (the first player to do so is the winner).

Backgammon Sets

In our Guide to Backgammon selecting the best set is easy as Jaques' manufacture fourvariations of this classic game. At the top end of the range is the 15" Luxury Mahogany set which features a solid mahogany frame with walnut and sycamore inlaid points. The set also includes regulation playing pieces, two leatherette dicecups, dice set and rulebook. Further down the range a 15" Oak Backgammon set to Buy is also offered along with an 11" Travel version of the game.

This Game can be played easily & safely - its great fun!
In the same way as poker and betting, backgammon is a skill-game where the good player will win in the long run.
Everybody can regardsless of skills become better, and that is what Jaques' online guide is here to help you with.

If you are a beginner we recommend you to read our beginner's guide.