Backgammon is a board game loved by many and is one of, if not the oldest, boardgames still in circulation, it can be traced back nearly 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia and Persia. It’s the national pastime of the Greeks and Persians and is loved the world over.
My love of the game
I have always played backgammon with friends and family at home, during the holidays, or in the evenings after dinner. I first truly learned how to play the game during my time at sea. When I would play with my fellow Greek crew mates on a daily basis as a way of simply passing the time between ports. It was here where I actually learned how to play the game, as they found it entertaining that an Englishman thought he knew how to play, it turns out I didn’t. I knew the basics, but I didn’t know anything close to what I now know. It’s a game I have never played for money and never will. The best games I have played is when there was nothing on the line but pride.
A friendly duel
The best way to describe backgammon in its purest form is a duel between two opponents. It is a game of attacking, parrying, thrusting and reposting. It’s a game where you must react to the dice and your opponent's moves. One where you can be winning one moment, then the game can turn on you, and a winning position…
