Backgammon

Backgammon has been creating quite a stir for centuries. Even today, we spend many hours playing it, yet most of us have no idea where it originated or the history it acquired. Although the backgammon game has evolved throughout the years and is now even played online, it is actually the oldest game in history. Also known as the "wee battle," backgammon began in Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq) about 5000 years ago. Backgammon may have been a popular game centuries ago, but only people in power were permitted to play the game. These prevailing figures of royalty included Egyptian pharaohs and Mesopotamian kings. However, Egyptians called backgammon "Senat," which was a similar form of the current game played today. Nevertheless, once the game started to develop and expand worldwide, other cultures soon took notice. Unfortunately, this expansion turned into controversy, especially since the church thought the game was the work of the Devil. For years they tried to ban and destroy backgammon boards, but backgammon could easily be played without a board. Luckily, the disapproval soon died down and backgammon was back in homes. For instance, Greece took hold of the sport and coined the name "bac gamen." From there, the English adopted backgammon in the seventeenth century and have stuck with it ever since. The most influential gamer Edmund Hoyle, referred to backgammon as "Tables," and wrote a book of rules for people who had difficulty understanding the concept. This ultimately put backgammon on the path to fame, as people are still playing the game today. White Bear Chess offers a selection of quality Backgammon sets for the discriminating player, imported in a variety of woods, colors and styles from the worlds's finest manufacturers. You are sure to find the set to fit your taste; and if you have not previously played, enable you to get started on a lifetime of enjoyment.