Backgammon

      A Backgammon Set

Backgammon is one of the most popular pastime's in Greece.

The object of the game is for a player to move all of his checkers into his own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all of his checkers wins the game. The starting positions are the master positions, called 'mana' in Greek.

To start the game, each player throws a single die. This determines the player to go first. If equal numbers come up, then both players roll again until they roll different numbers. The player throwing the higher number now moves his checkers according to the numbers showing on both dice. After the first roll, the players throw two dice and alternate turns. The roll of the dice indicates how many points, or pips, the player is to move his checkers. The checkers are always moved forward. 

Tavli is a game consisting of three other individual games, called 'Portes' (means 'doors', two checkers together form a 'door'), 'Plakoto' (comes from the Greek verb 'plakono', which means to put something on top of something else ,in the game to put a checker on top of an opponent's checker) and 'Fevga' (pronounce: 'figa', means 'to run', and in the game reflects a fast and well positioned play in order to get to your home quarter). 

Check that you understand what these words mean in this document
Object of the game: the aim of the game.
To bear off: to remove from a certain place (environment, or mental or emotional state).
Die: a small cube with 1 to 6 spots on the faces.
To alternate: to do something in turns.
To indicate: to show.

For further reading visit:
History of Backgammon