Backgammon history 

Backgammon originates from ancient Egyptian game called “Senet”. Board with 3×10 squares was used to play this game. Today, no one is quite sure about the rules, but it has been conjectured that it was gambling game of movement and displacement of opponent pieces (usually made of stone) moving in opposite directions. The movement was thought to be controlled by the roll of dice made of bones or ceramic. In archeological discoveries dice have frequently been found with the distinctive playing boards.
Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, the Roman game, most likely derived from Senat. Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum means ” Game of Twelve Lines on a Board”. Initially, it had three rows of twelve “points” and was played with three six-sided dice. Later, in 500’s AD on the rows was dropped. After that the game received name “tabula”, “table” in Latin. Thу Roman Emperor Claudius was very fond of this game. He even had a game board attached to his chariot. His was so fond of the game that even wrote a history of it. It’s a pity, but this history never made it to our days, due to the dark ages when many manuscripts were lost to decay and disinterest.
During the first century AD the game was brought to England by invasion. This game, which later received name “Tables”, and it’s rules are much more recognizable to moderns. In middle ages this game was generally played by upper classes and due to it managed to survive the middle ages. It’s even been banned in England because of the gambling nature of the game. People often playd this game in taverns. “Backgammon” was first mentioned in 1645. It is suggested that game’s modern name derived from the Middle English word “gam” meaning “game” and “back”. Connected together these words probably meant “the game where you can go back” refering to a blot that has been sent
back to the bar.
In 1743 the first official rules of backgammon were introduced. In 1920 the doubling cube was introduced in New York. The idea was likely to accelerate the stakes of the gambling game much more quickly. Yet it also had the effect of favoring more skilled players who were more capable of judging the chances of certain positions.
Since then nothing has changed in backgammon. Interes to this game grew and fall from time to time. Many backgammon tactics and strategies books were published. But everything had changed with the era of Internet. Computers provided online venues, automated opponets and increased the analytical
aspects of the game for professionals.
Today there are a lot of lots of championships in the Europe and United States, and a great many online championships. The first championship took place in Bermuda in the 1960’s. Bermuda remains a popular center of Backgammon culture. Backgammon is now one of the most popular of the classic
games.