Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games. Its history can be traced back nearly 5,000 years to archeological discoveries in the Middle East, originally in Iran (Persia). It is a two player game where each player has fifteen pieces (checkers) which move between twenty-four triangles (points) according to the roll of two dice. The objective of the game is to be first to bear off, i.e. move all fifteen checkers off the board. Backgammon is a member of the tables family, one of the oldest classes of board games.
Tables is a general name given to a class of board games similar to backgammon, played on a board with two rows of 12 vertical markings called "points". Players roll dice to determine the movement of pieces. Tables games are among the oldest known board games, and many variants are played throughout the world.
Robert W "Bob" Floyd was a computer scientist.
The Racquet and Tennis Club is a private social club and athletic club located at 370 Park Avenue, between East 52nd and 53rd Streets, New York, New York.
The First Internet Backgammon Server (FIBS) began operating in July 19, 1992, allowing users to play backgammon in real-time against other people. It was hosted on the Internet, and could track player performance using a modified version of the Elo rating system.
Paul David Magriel Jr. was an American professional backgammon player, poker player, and author based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
MSN Games is a casual gaming web site, with single player, multiplayer, PC download, and social casino video games. Games are available in free online, trial, and full feature pay-to-play versions.
The backgammon chouette is a variant of backgammon for three or more players. Traditionally played in person, today, the internet allows this form of backgammon to be played across different countries and various platforms. The chouette is a fast-paced game, featuring frequent use of the doubling cube, discussion and dispute of possible moves, and shifting rivalries among players.
Kit Woolsey is an American bridge and backgammon player.
Philip Vischjager is a Dutch backgammon player. Although he began playing backgammon in 1975, he started training more intensively using computer software in 2001. At the same time, he became a regular participant in Dutch backgammon competitions at the highest national levels. In the period 2001-2005, he won the Dutch Open and the Amsterdam Open twice, and reached the Dutch Open finals three times. In 2006 Vischjager won the 31st World Championship Backgammon held in Monte Carlo.
The first moves of a backgammon game are the opening moves, collectively referred to as the opening, and studied in the backgammon opening theory. Backgammon opening theory is not developed in as much detail as opening theory in chess, which has been widely studied. The reason for this is that following the first move in backgammon, there are 21 dice roll outcomes on each subsequent move, and many alternative plays for each outcome, making the tree of possible positions in backgammon expand much more rapidly than in chess.
Bill Robertie is a backgammon, chess, and poker player and author. He is one of three backgammon players to have won the World Backgammon Championship twice. Robertie also won the Pro-Am in the Bahamas in the year 1993 and the Istanbul World Cup in 1994. In chess, Robertie won the 1970 U.S. Speed Chess tournament.
Jacquet is a game of the backgammon family that was once very popular in Europe.
Play65 is an online backgammon operator established in 2004 by an Israeli-based company, SkillEmpire, that hosts real-time backgammon games and tournaments. With its client software available in 21 languages, including English, Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, etc. Play65 has more than 5,000,000 registered players, making it one of the biggest backgammon communities online. Play65 is licensed by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).
World Series of Backgammon (WSOB) is a major televised live tour. The television shows capture the match action, jeopardy and background around some of the world’s largest backgammon tournaments, and have broadcast throughout Europe on Eurosport 1 and 2 whilst being distributed worldwide by ESPN International.
A rollout is an analysis technique for backgammon positions and moves. A rollout consists of playing the same position many times and recording the results. The balance of wins and losses is used to evaluate the equity of the position. Historically this was done by hand, but it is now undertaken primarily by computer programs.
Leon Herbert is a British actor, director, writer and producer.
Backgammon is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1976 and released on the Roulette label.
