Backgammon is the oldest known recorded game in man's history. It is widely believed that the origin of the game was in Mesopotamia in the ancient Persian Empire, modern day Iran, Iraq and East Syria. The game was played on wooden boards as the table, stones as men or stones, and numbered dice made from bones, stones, wood and pottery.

Throughout the history of the game, backgammon has been associated with royals and nobles of civilisations. Many recorded relics indicate the popularity of the game amongst the aristocrats of Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Far East.

The game must have reached Western Europe from the Mediterranean. A thousand years after the Egyptians were playing their version, the Greeks, or at least the patrician Greeks, were playing a form of the game. Plato mentions a Greek form of the game and comments on its popularity. Sophocles attributes its invention to Palamedes, who was said to have beguiled away the time during the long siege of Troy by playing it. Homer mentions the Greek game in the Odyssey. Herodotus claims that the Lydians invented it. In this and other dice games the Greeks evidently had feelings about lady luck just as strong as ours. They called sixes, which were good high rolls then as now, “Aphrodite”, and they called ones a word akin to “dog”.

The Persians call the game “Takhteh Nard” which is Persian for “Battle on Wood”. (Takhteh = Wooden board) and (Nard = Battle). Later When the Persians invaded Egypt the game was introduced and became known as “Tau”. Tau played in wooden boxes usually of 30 squares (3*10) is believed to be the ancestor of “Senat”. The Roman game of “Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum” played on 3*12 squares, is thought to be derived from “Senat”, which later became known as “Tabula”, that may be with reference to the table on which the game is played. Around 6th Century “Tabula” became known as ‘Alea’. Following the invasion of India by the Persian king Nader, the game arrived to China called “T-shu-p-u” and later the Japanese picked the game and referred to it as “Sugoroko”. In Italy “Tavola Reale” and in Spain “Tablas Reales” both meaning “Royal Tables”. The Greeks still call the game “Tavli”.

When the Romans conquered Britain in the 1st century AD, they introduced the game around the same time, which was referred to as “Tables”. A book “Codex Exoniensis” (two who sit at the table) published 11th century is the first official reference of the game of “Tables”. It is believed that the name Backgammon derives from the two English Words “Bac gamen” meaning “Back Game”, either referring to re-entry of taken stones back to the board, or the more advanced style of playing the game known as the “Back Game”. The Welsh heritage of the name coming from “Back-gammon” meaning “Wee battle” is not widely respected due to lack of historic evidence and rather low popularity of the game in the region at that time.

In 1743 an Englishman called Edmond Hoyle documented and standardised the rules of the game. Backgammon then became popular in many European countries. “Tric-Trac” in France, “Puff” Germany, mostly followed these rules. These rules remained unchanged till 1931 when in America they were revised to what generally governs the game today. By this stage many other games were derived from Backgammon, the multi-player “Chouette”, “Kotra”, “Tabard”, “Sixey-Acey”, “Acey Deucey”, Arabic “Jioul"and the Greek “Plakoto” to name but a few.

The classic Greek Tavli is composed by three of such variations. These are Portes, Plakoto and Fevga.

Generals
Tavli is a game in which the checkers have to be moved, after the dice has been rolled to determine the points. This very usual procedure will be enhanced by multiple elements, so that the game gets its special charm.

This becomes very clear by looking for the differences between Tavli and the well-known Backgammon. “Portes” is just like Backgammon with few small differences. “Portes” means “doors”. Two checkers together form a “door”, a wall if you like, where the opponent can not place his/hers checkers. “Plakoto” is the original Greek variant. “Plakoto” comes from the Greek verb “plakono” which means to put something on top of something else (in the game to put a checker on top of an opponent’s checker). And, “Fevga” the Turkish one, which is sporadicly known under the name “Moultezim” in Greece as well. “Fevga” means “to run”, and in the game reflects a fast and well-positioned play in order to get to you home quarter. Normaly these three variants will be played in this order until one of the contrahents has collected 7 winner points.

Here are some Generals which are valid in all variants of the Greek Tavli (they don’t match the Backgammon Rules anyway):

? Two dice are used for the game; the two numbers have to be translated into action separately.

? If one number cannot be translated into action it is getting lost. In opposite if there is at least one move possible, this one hast to be done, even if it is a bad move.

? In analogy doublets have to be translated into action four times, if possible.

? Goal of the game is to bring the own checkers into the home quarter (last 6 fields in playing direction) and to begin there with the off bearing.

? There are some special rules for the off bearing. It starts when all checkers (15 pieces) have been moved into the home quarter.

? Who’s bearing off completely wins. It gives one winning point. In case of the opposite not to have beared of at least one checker this will give two points to the winner (doubled valued game).

? The double value cube (dice) as it is used in classic Backgammon is nearly unknown in Greece. It is not used!

Tag: Tavli - The Greek Backgammon