The Ancient Art of Backgammon: A 5,000-Year Journey Through History

As an avid gamer but admittedly poor backgammon player, I was astonished to learn that few games have endured as long or traveled as far as backgammon. Spanning cultures and continents, backgammon, or at least its predecessors, is among the oldest known board games with origins stretching back over 5,000 years. A game that has endured the rise and fall of many great civilizations, this ancient game of strategy and chance has remained a constant companion to humanity; adapting and evolving but never disappearing.

What makes backgammon so enduring? Unlike many ancient pastimes that vanished with their creators, backgammon balances skill and luck in a way that has fascinated players from Mesopotamian nobles to modern professionals. It is seemingly simple to learn, yet deep enough to occupy a lifetime of study.

Ancient Origins: The Cradle of Civilization’s Greatest Game

The Mesopotamian Genesis (c. 2600 BCE)

Backgammon traces its ancestry to ancient Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, around 2600 BCE. Archaeological discoveries from the Royal Cemetery of Ur, excavated in the 1920s by British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley, revealed game boards inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone. Which have since recognized as examples of the Royal Game of Ur, a race game and one of the earliest documented playable board games in the world.

The Royal Game of Ur: Backgammon’s Earliest Ancestor

The Royal Game of Ur, dating to about 4,600 years ago, is considered an early ancestor of backgammon. Its rules, deciphered by curator Irving Finkel from a Babylonian cuneiform tablet (c. 177 BCE), describe a two-player race game in which pieces move across the board based on dice throws. The luxurious materials used such as lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan and shells from the Persian Gulf suggest the game was reserved for elite circles.

An Iranian Discovery

In 2004, archaeologists in Shahr-e Sukhteh (“the Burnt City”) in southeastern Iran uncovered a 4,500-year-old game board made of ebony, with pieces fashioned from agate and turquoise. While not definitively “backgammon,” the board shows striking similarities to other ancient race games of the region.

Spreading Across Civilizations

Egypt: From Senet to Royal Tombs

The game spread to Egypt, where similar variants such as Senet and Twenty Squares became popular. Archaeological finds including boards from Tutankhamun’s tomb show that gaming was a valued pastime among both royalty and commoners. Some Egyptian boards even had Senet on one side and Twenty Squares on the other, reflecting a love for multiple strategic games.

Greece: Myth and Meaning

In Greek culture, games took on philosophical and symbolic dimensions. The playwright Sophocles attributed the invention of dice and games to the mythical hero Palamedes during the Trojan War, though this remains legend rather than history. Philosophers such as Plato used games metaphorically in their writings, though not specifically backgammon.

Rome: The Sport of Emperors

The Romans embraced race games under names such as Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum (“game of twelve markings”) and later Tabula. These predecessors share many common features with modern backgammon. Emperor Claudius was said to be particularly fond of the game, even writing a book on it and reportedly having a board fixed to his carriage. Archaeological remains from Pompeii confirm its popularity across Roman society.

Although gambling was officially restricted, especially outside festivals like Saturnalia, such prohibitions were inconsistently enforced. Over time, Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum gave way to Tabula, which used two rows of points and more closely resembles modern backgammon.

The Middle Ages and the Crusades

When European crusaders traveled to the Middle East in the 12th century, they encountered local versions of race games, including one called “Nard”. Although related forms of tables games were already present in Europe by the 8th and 9th centuries, the Crusades helped spread and popularize new variations.

The game became so widespread that it required regulation. During the Third Crusade in 1190, King Richard I of England and King Philip II of France jointly restricted gambling among their soldiers, permitting only knights and clergy to play under limited conditions. In the Middle Ages, the game of “tables” became a popular pastime among the European nobility and clergy.

By the 17th century, “tables” games were common throughout Europe. A set was even found on the wreck of the Swedish warship Vasa. The game’s popularity persisted despite repeated attempts by religious authorities to ban it, such as the decree by Louis IX of France in 1254 forbidding play among his officials.

From “Tables” to “Backgammon”

In English literature, references to “tables” appear in works by Chaucer and Shakespeare. The term “backgammon” first appeared in print in 1645. Its exact linguistic origin is debated, but one theory links it to Middle English baec gamen, meaning “back game,” a reference to the game-play mechanic of sending opposing pieces backward.

Modern Developments

The Doubling Cube

A major innovation arrived in the 1920s in New York gaming clubs: the doubling cube. This simple device allowed players to raise the stakes strategically, transforming competitive play. Its introduction sparked a backgammon revival in Europe and the United States.

Prince Alexis Obolensky and the 1960s Revival

In the 1960s, Prince Alexis Obolensky—often called the “Father of Modern Backgammon”—helped establish official rules through the International Backgammon Association and popularized the game through high-profile tournaments in Manhattan. His efforts sparked a surge of popularity that carried into the 1970s and 1980s, when backgammon became a fashionable pursuit among celebrities and financiers.

Backgammon as Gambling and Skill

In 1982, the case State of Oregon v. Barr addressed whether backgammon constituted gambling. Expert testimony persuaded the court that backgammon is primarily a game of skill rather than chance, a ruling that helped protect organized play in the United States.

Many professional gamblers, including notable poker players like Gus Hansen, Erik Seidel, Dan Harrington, and Phil Laak, have played both games competitively. The overlap reflects the shared emphasis on probability, strategy, and long-term skill over short-term luck.

Notable Players

• Tim Holland (1931–2010): A three-time world champion, author, and teacher, Holland was among the first modern backgammon superstars.
• Paul Magriel (1946–2018): Known as “X-22,” Magriel authored the influential book Backgammon (1976), widely referred to as the “Bible” of the game. He was also a successful poker player and theoretician.
• Matvey “Falafel” Natanzon (1968–2016): A top-ranked player, admired for his remarkably low error rate in competitive play.
• Masayuki Mochizuki (“Mochy”) and Michihito Kageyama (“Michy”): Leading figures in the Japanese backgammon community and internationally recognized champions.

Rare and Historic Backgammon Sets

• The British Museum Collection: A game board of the Royal Game of Ur, dating to c. 2600–2400 BCE, is among the oldest known, crafted with shell and lapis lazuli inlays.
• Tutankhamun’s Boards: Several game sets, including Senet and Twenty Squares, were found in his tomb, reflecting the cultural importance of gaming in ancient Egypt.
• The Iranian Board (2004 discovery): The ebony and stone board from Shahr-e Sukhteh is one of the earliest examples of race games outside Mesopotamia, underscoring the wide cultural spread of early gaming traditions.

The Eternal Game

From the royal tombs of ancient Mesopotamia to modern digital platforms, backgammon has proven itself more than just a game. Its survival across millennia rests on a unique combination of luck and skill, quick learning and endless depth, solitary focus and social interaction.

Backgammon has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, endured religious opposition, and adapted to changing technologies. Whether played on ancient stone boards, Renaissance luxury sets, or smartphone apps today, each game connects us to thousands of years of human history.

In backgammon, we don’t just roll dice, we join an unbroken chain of players stretching back to the dawn of civilization.