History of Backgammon
5,000 years of the world's oldest board game
1Ancient Origins
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games, with roots stretching back approximately 5,000 years. The earliest evidence comes from Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), where archaeologists discovered dice-like objects and game boards dating to around 3000 BCE.
The Royal Game of Ur
The Royal Game of Ur, discovered in the tombs of ancient Mesopotamian kings, is considered an ancestor of backgammon. While the exact rules are uncertain, it featured a race between two players using dice.
A 5,000-year-old backgammon set was discovered in Shahr-e Sukhteh, Iran, one of the oldest ever found.
2Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, a game called Senet was played as early as 3100 BCE. While not directly backgammon, Senet was a racing game with similar principles. It was so popular that boards were placed in tombs for the afterlife.
Egyptian artifacts show pharaohs and nobles playing Senet, and the game held spiritual significance—winning was believed to show favor from the gods.
3Roman Empire
The Romans played several games resembling backgammon, including "Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum" (Game of Twelve Lines) and later "Tabula." These games used 15 pieces per player and three dice.
Emperor Claudius was so passionate about Tabula that he wrote a book about it (now lost) and had a special board installed in his carriage.
4Tavla & the Middle East
The name "Tavla" comes from the Persian word for backgammon, and the game flourished throughout the Middle East and later the Ottoman Empire. In Turkey, Iran, and Greece, Tavla remains an important cultural tradition today.
The game spread along trade routes, with each culture adding its own variations. The doubling cube, for example, is a modern American invention from the 1920s.
That's why we named this site Tavla.Games—honoring the Turkish word for this beloved game!
5Modern Era
Backgammon experienced a worldwide boom in the 1970s. The World Backgammon Championship began in 1967 in Las Vegas, and books on strategy became bestsellers.
The Computer Age
In 1992, Gerald Tesauro developed TD-Gammon, a neural network that learned backgammon through self-play. It revolutionized computer game AI and achieved world-class play.
Today, programs like GNU Backgammon and eXtreme Gammon play at superhuman levels, helping players analyze and improve their game.
6The Digital Era
Online backgammon emerged in the late 1990s and transformed the game. Players can now compete globally, analyze games with AI, and improve faster than ever before.
Modern platforms like Tavla.Games continue this tradition—bringing ancient strategy to players everywhere, whether on desktop or mobile.
Be Part of History
Join millions who have played this timeless game across centuries!
