Bread and Circuses on Play65 Backgammon

WEBWIRE – Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Play65 online backgammon room is taking you back to the hedonic days of the Roman Empire by presenting an especially indulgent tournament, when more than €4000 will be spilled over the 32 top players. The last player who will stay at the arena after tearing the entire field of contestants to pieces will be awarded the grand €1200 prize. The Roman style €4000 Backgammon Arena tournament is scheduled to Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 20:00 GMT.

Play65 tradition of closing every month with a big backgammon tournament and extraordinary large prize pools continues with the closing event of February 2010 - €4000 Backgammon Arena. As January 2010 has ended with a +$5000 special event, the shortest month of the year will not be complete until someone goes home with a €1200 first prize.

The €45 entry fees of the Backgammon Arena tournament can be won at one of the many satellite tournaments, held daily from 18:30 to 21:30 GMT, with only €3 entry fees. Moreover, free entrance to the satellites can be won by making a deposit of €100 (or $ or ₤) and inserting the coupon code: BGARENA.

Backgammon in Ancient Rome

Backgammon was actually one of games that have entertained the citizens of the Roman Empire back then. In fact, “Tabula” (translated as table or board), one of the two backgammon similar games that were common among Ancient Romans, has the closest resemblance to today’s backgammon. Similar to modern backgammon, Tabula was played on a 24-point game board, granting victory to the first player who has borne off his game pieces, but rolled three dice instead of the two.

The second backgammon ancestor attributed to Ancient Rome was called “Ludus duodecim scriptorum” or “XII scripta”, both names referring to the game board’s format, which consisted 12 lines, and apparently 3 lines. Besides that, Ludus duodecim scriptorium had 15 checkers and a bar in the middle of the board in common with backgammon.