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The True History of Backgammon in Japan

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Monday, 25 July 2016, at 11:34 a.m.

In Response To: The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game (Albert Steg)

I have studied the history of Backgammon in Japan extensively and can answer Albert’s questions.

Backgammon in Japan was very popular in the 9th century but the Shogun, Mikikomochimo banned the game because too many people were committing Seppuku after dancing repeatedly on a one-point board.

The game was revived 4 centuries later when the famous sadistic Shogun, Machiavellisan came to power and was looking for a new way to torture prisoners captured from Korea and China.

In the 1930’s the Emperor of Japan was playing backgammon with his children while eating Mochi ice cream, and when one of his pieces of Mochi accidently dropped on the board, his son “scooped” it up. Later in the game the son was required to return the favor by giving his father two pieces that he scooped. And that is where the term “scooping” of the doubling cube derived.

Many years later a young couple had a baby who they wanted to become a great backgammon player, and they named him “Mochi” so that he would never forget to use the doubling cube. Today, that young man is not only the best backgammon player in the world, he never forgets the cube.

And that is a fairly accurate history of Backgammon in Japan. Honest.

Messages In This Thread

• The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
  Mochy -- Saturday, 23 July 2016, at 9:10 p.m.
  • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
    Wolfgang -- Sunday, 24 July 2016, at 12:07 a.m.
  • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
    Casper Van der Tak -- Sunday, 24 July 2016, at 7:31 a.m.
    • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
      Mochy -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 7:15 p.m.
      • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
        Casper Van der Tak -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 7:25 p.m.
  • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
    Phil Simborg -- Sunday, 24 July 2016, at 7:54 a.m.
  • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
    Albert Steg -- Sunday, 24 July 2016, at 1:48 p.m.
    • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
      johnk -- Sunday, 24 July 2016, at 3:01 p.m.
    • The True History of Backgammon in Japan
      Phil Simborg -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 11:34 a.m.
    • The 6 reasons why Backgammon is the great game
      Mochy -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 6:15 p.m.
    • Did gammons count?
      Bob Koca -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 7:06 p.m.
      • Did gammons count?
        Mochy -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 7:18 p.m.
      • Did gammons count?
        Keene -- Monday, 25 July 2016, at 7:43 p.m.
        • Did gammons count?
          Mleifer -- Tuesday, 26 July 2016, at 3:00 p.m.
          • 142 in open and calcutta info, bets, etc.
            Bob Koca -- Tuesday, 26 July 2016, at 3:40 p.m.
            • 142 in open and calcutta info, bets, etc.
              Keene -- Tuesday, 26 July 2016, at 3:57 p.m.