BGonline.org Forums

Why the midpoint was preferred in Middle English in the Middle Ages

Posted By: Rick Janowski
Date: Friday, 31 August 2012, at 4:20 p.m.

In Response To: Would you rather roll 6-5 or 1-1? (Daniel Murphy)

It would appear that variants in the backgammon/tables family of games with a set up of checkers identical to modern backgammon were first introduced in Europe in the 12th Century, after being introduced in India late in the 11th century. Hence, it is perfectly possible that the dice-cup was used for playing one of the ancestors of our game. Before about 1500, however, doublets only counted once rather than twice, offering little potential for blockading. Consequently, double-aces then would generally have been one of the least favourite of rolls, perhaps vying with with 21 the way a flea might compete with a louse for precedence.

Messages In This Thread

• Would you rather roll 6-5 or 1-1?
  Daniel Murphy -- Friday, 31 August 2012, at 2:53 p.m.
  • Would you rather roll 6-5 or 1-1?
    Strato -- Friday, 31 August 2012, at 3:29 p.m.
  • Why the midpoint was preferred in Middle English in the Middle Ages
    Rick Janowski -- Friday, 31 August 2012, at 4:20 p.m.
    • Why the midpoint was preferred in Middle English in the Middle Ages
      David Rennie -- Monday, 3 September 2012, at 1:33 a.m.