Backgammon (8)

8th History of Backgammon:
Pump Up the Volume with the Americans

8. Pump Up the Volume with the Americans: Americans couldn't figure out a way to improve on Chess, but in 1925 an American innovator whose name is apparently lost to us developed the concept of doubling. Doubling revived Backgammon and led to a worldwide Backgammon renaissance that continues today.

The word Backgammon, incidentally, comes from the Middle English gamen, meaning "game." It's thought that the name derives from the pieces occasionally having to go and reenter the board. In Scotland, the game is called Gammon; in Spain, Tablas Reales (The Royal Tables); and in Italy, Tavole Reale (ditto). In France, the name is Trictrac and in Germany, Puff, though how these names strayed so far from the Roman Tabula is not clear.

So, this will be the last post about history of Backgammon (maybe a bit too much of history about Backgammon!!!!). Coming next will be "How to Play Backgammon?".