Chess, Checkers and Backgammon. History of origin

If statistics are to be believed, the popularity of board games grows every year. This growth was especially noticeable during the "Covid" times. Despite the popularity of the Internet, it has not succeeded in displacing the love for board games. What's more, the number of people wishing to join the world of board games is only growing.

But where did chess, checkers and backgammon come from? Which game came first? Let's try to figure it out.

The first board game

Researchers tend to believe that the history of board games goes back to the 3rd millennium BC. The places of their origin are China, India, and Mesopotamia (now the territory of Iraq). The ancestor of modern games is called the game of dice. Dice, similar to modern ones, were found during archaeological excavations, and they were usually made of bone or stone. Now the game of dice dice itself is not as popular, but dice have become an integral part of a huge number of board games. In particular, the board game backgammon cannot do without this accessory. accessory.

Senate – chess or checkers?

In Ancient Egypt enjoyed playing senet. Drawings found in Egyptian tombs provide information about this. Initially, it was believed that this game served as the prototype for modern chess. However, later research revealed that senet is more similar to the modern game of checkers.

Favorite game of the Middle East

"In the Middle East, the well-known game of backgammon. Of course, after so many years, it has changed somewhat, but its purpose – to move chips across the playing field faster than the opponent remained the same, a tradition that has persisted for thousands of years. It is worth noting that a similar game – Royal Ur,  emerged in India. Historians are divided on how the events unfolded. Some believe that the early forms of backgammon supplanted the game of Ur and its rules were later lost to history. Others believe that modern backgammon is the result of the evolution of Royal Ur. The choice of which point of view to follow - is up to you.

Ancestor of modern chess

And the board game chess, known almost worldwide, originated comes from the ancient Indian game "chaturanga".  Initially played by as many as four participants simultaneously, the game required strategic and tactical thinking. However, luck played a significant role in those times, as the movement of pieces was determined by the roll of dice. Chaturanga, in its evolution, gave rise to Japanese and Chinese versions of chess – shogi, xiangqi, and janggi. Through the wars of conquest thatspanned the globe, the games eventually reached Europe and, after undergoing some modifications, has endured to the present day. 

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