Your own teams play…as a way to relax while on long trips to opponents fields. At least that’s what Nebraska Cornhusker players do.

Some of them, anyway.

From the ‘Husker site:

Steve Glenn remembers when bus trips to Big Eight Conference contests meant card games and backgammon duels between him and his fellow Husker football players.



Even though NU will have to travel farther, Glenn said air travel will be much more convenient and cost-efficient —leaving plenty of time to play backgammon.



“These venues are generally much easier to get to,” he said. “It’s an east-west travel pattern, and Nebraska is better suited for east-west travel than north-south travel.”

Glenn said airplane hubs in Big Ten country, such as  Chicago and Detroit, will allow Nebraska to find cheaper fares because there are more flights to choose from.

He used the example of how the Nebraska football team currently travels to Lubbock, Texas, home of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. 

A charter flight originates in Chicago, picks up the Huskers in Lincoln and flies them to Texas. But the plane flies back to Chicago empty. It returns to Lubbock after the game, empty, and brings the Huskers back to Lincoln. Then it flies back to Chicago, again without any passengers.

“Four out of the six flights are empty,” Glenn said. “That’s expensive travel. You’re paying for those empty flights.”

But in the Big Ten, those empty planes will only have to travel a short distance back to their point of origin, reducing costs for NU.



Ok I understand.

But what’s cool is that they huge huskers love backgammon, de-mystifying the idea that only guys like me play board games.

Here’s the latest formula for attaining old age: drink vodka.

And play backgammon.

OK…so what’s my proof?

Check this out.

Although it’s not yet been confirmed, officials in Russia claim that a woman from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia is 130 years old making her the oldest person in the world.

What’s her secret? Read on.

The Georgian authorities have petitioned The Guinness Book of World Records to have her included as the oldest person in the world.

Antisa Khvichava celebrated her 130th birthday on Thursday. Although she has lost her original birth certificate, she has documents from the Soviet-era showing that she was born on July 8, 1880.

The Associated Press has reported that Khvichava retired from her job harvestingtea and picking corn in 1965 at age 85.

Khvichava lives with her 40 year old Grandson. She has one son, ten grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. Her 70 year old son, Mikhail was born when his mother was 60.

The AP has quoted Khvichava as saying “I’ve always been healthy, and I’ve worked all my life — at home and at the farm.” Khvichava is primarily bed ridden. Her hands are deformed and she barely walks. Otherwise she remains in good health and continues to play BACKGAMMON and drink vodka.

The world’s oldest documented person is France’s 114 year old Eugenie Blanchard.

You go, girl.

It’s cool to think that my favorite game, backgammon, was played in some form about 5,000 years ago.

May it go on for another 5,000.

I’m sure it will.

The developments in the first five thousand years of backgammon gave no inkling of that at the end of the twentieth century, backgammon stood on the verge of a major revolution.

I can only imagine what’s in store  for us next.

The introduction of online backgammon has initiated a major explosion in interest in the game, and brought it to a whole new, predominantly young audience.

The ability to download Internet backgammon as free backgammon has meant there is no longer any need to even buy a backgammon set but you can have a high quality 3-D backgammon game setup on your own computer.

NOT that I don’t believe you should always have a BG set at home. I do.

Although the long-lasting appeal of backgammon gambling has given a major push to the popularity of the backgammon online games, the chance to play against a sophisticated backgammon computer and play against players from all around the world, are also key attractions.

In addition the online game allows players to play at a time that suits them, and from the comfort of their own home. All the information required to learn the rules of the game and understand backgammon strategy is now available online – players have never had it easier.

Or so good.

Any thoughts about what might be next?

In Turkey, backgammon (a variant, actually) is called Gioul (not to be mistaken for the race in Stargate SG-1).

Gioul originated in Turkey and is played throughout the Middle East.

Here a single checker on a point forms a block.

The unique feature of Gioul is the way doubles work. When a player rolls doubles, he plays the number he rolled and all successive doubles up to and including 6-6. If he cannot play his entire roll, the opponent takes over.

A slightly different version of the game is called Gul Bara in Bulgaria. And yet another version of Gioul is called, if you can believe it, Plakoto Express.

Fascinating stuff for those of us who love backgammon.

In other words, there is a world of variants out there, waiting for me (and you) to test out.

Setup in the Turkish game: Each player starts with fifteen checkers on the opposing player’s one-point. The checkers move around the board in opposite directions.

Object: The object of the game is to bring all of your checkers around to your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game.

To start: Each player rolls one die and the higher number goes first. That player then rolls the dice again to begin their first turn. After the first game, the winner of the previous game goes first.

Movement: The roll of the dice indicates how many points, or pips, the player is to move his checkers. The following rules apply:

A checker may be moved only to an open point, one that is not occupied by an opposing checker.

The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves.

For example, if a player rolls 5 and 3, he may move one checker five spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or he may move the one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point (either three or five spaces from the starting point) is also open.

No hitting: Gioul is like Moultezim in that there is no hitting in this game. One checker by itself controls a point and an opposing checker may not land or touch down there.

Doubles: A distinctive feature of Gioul is the handling of doubles. When you roll doubles, you play the number you rolled four times; then you play the next higher number in the same fashion, and so on all the way up to double 6′s. For example, if you roll 3-3, you play four 3′s, then four 4′s, then four 5′s, then four 6′s.

Unused numbers: If you cannot complete your turn, your opponent takes over, playing for himself the numbers you could not use. He starts where you left off and plays as many numbers as he can in the same order as you were required to play them. When he is finished (or has played as many of your numbers as he can), he rolls the dice to begin his own turn.

Scoring: The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game. If the losing player has borne off at least one checker, he loses only one point; otherwise he loses two points.

There is no doubling in this game.

OK. Get it?

Seriously. What are the chances that an ancient board game, thousands of years old would a) survive and b) become a popular (growing) internet game?

For those of us who play and love backgammon, it’s not surprising at all.

And yet online backgammon is now one of the fastest growing online games.

Go figure.

How did this happen? How is it possible? To understand the success of internet backgammon we need to appreciate the nature of the game and the interests of players who compete online.

The backgammon game is a game of skill and strategy, yet at the same time it is very easy to learn, as the many children who take up backgammon clearly indicate.

We’ve gone over the basics many times over the past year of postings, but to be brief, the game is simple, right? The key objective of the contest, to be the first player in a position to remove all their checkers from the board.

The backgammon rules are easily learned, with even the youngest players quickly understanding how to move their checkers in response to the dice throws.

The basics of backgammon strategy such as hitting their foes blots (single checkers) and how to build primes (blockade opposing pieces) are also quickly mastered.

WThe fun of playing this familiar game with fellow backgammon enthusiasts from around the world is without doubt one of the key factors behind the success of online backgammon.

The convenience element is another major advantage.

People value a game that they can play from the comfort of their own home or office, and that they can access at a time that fits in with their schedule.

And you can get a free  backgammon download with no need to go out and buy the software.

Even if you do not know how to play backgammon, the wealth of information available on these online sites, and great opportunities for free practice games against backgammon computers, soon put you in the picture.

There is also the gambling aspect. There are a large number of tournaments hosted by online sites.

These contests are often divided into different divisions with players allocated according to their skill and experience.

Even the players eliminated have contests arranged for them and these can also yield significant prize money.

So give it a try my brothers (and sisters). If you like board backgammon, you might easily move into online games. Personally, I LOVE playing against new found friends all over the world.