Crossword clues for backgammon
backgammon
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
backgammon \back"gam`mon\, n. [Origin unknown; perhaps fr. Dan. bakke tray + E. game; or very likely the first part is from E. back, adv., and the game is so called because the men are often set back.] A game of chance and skill, played by two persons on a ``board'' marked off into twenty-four spaces called ``points''. Each player has fifteen pieces, or ``men'', the movements of which from point to point are determined by throwing dice. Formerly called tables.
backgammon board, a board for playing backgammon, often made in the form of two rectangular trays hinged together, each tray containing two ``tables''.
backgammon \back`gam"mon\, v. t. In the game of backgammon, to beat by ending the game before the loser is clear of his first ``table''. When played for betting purposes, the winner in such a case scores three times the wagered amount.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1640s, baggammon, the second element from Middle English gamen, ancestor of game; the first element apparently because pieces sometimes are forced to go "back." Known 13c.-17c. as tables.
Wiktionary
n. 1 A board game for two players in which each has 15 stones which move between 24 triangle points according to the roll of a pair of dice; the object is to move all of one's pieces around, and bear them off the board. 2 (context backgammon
WordNet
n. a board game for two players; pieces move according to throws of the dice
Wikipedia
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games known. It is a two player game where playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice, and a player wins by removing all of his pieces from the board before their opponent. Backgammon is a member of the tables family, one of the oldest classes of board games in the world.
Backgammon involves a combination of strategy and luck (from rolling dice). While the dice may determine the outcome of a single game, over a series of many games, the better player will accumulate the better record, somewhat like poker. Thus, records of matches between players are good indicators of relative skill. With each roll of the dice, players must choose from numerous options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves by the opponent. In variants that originate from early 20th century New York, players may raise the stakes during the game. There is an established repertoire of common tactics and occurrences.
Like chess, backgammon has been studied with great interest by computer scientists. Owing to this research, backgammon software has been developed that is capable of beating world-class human players (see TD-Gammon for an example).
Backgammon is a 2015 psychological drama/indie thriller directed by Francisco Orvañanos.
Backgammon (also released as Blues March) is an album by drummer Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers recorded in 1976 and released on the Roulette label.
Usage examples of "backgammon".
I saw him so often in the course of the evening, which passed very pleasantly, contemplate Richard and Ada with an interest and a satisfaction that made his fine face remarkably agreeable as he sat at a little distance from the piano listening to the music--and he had small occasion to tell us that he was passionately fond of music, for his face showed it--that I asked my guardian as we sat at the backgammon board whether Mr.
So what with working and housekeeping, and lessons to Charley, and backgammon in the evening with my guardian, and duets with Ada, the three weeks slipped fast away.
As for himself, he said that he lived by playing backgammon, though he was not at all lucky at it, as talent went for more than luck at that game.
I was sufficiently engaged during the remainder of the evening in taking my first lesson in backgammon from Mr. Jarndyce, who was very fond of the game and from whom I wished of course to learn it as quickly as I could in order that I might be of the very small use of being able to play when he had no better adversary.
I saw him so often in the course of the evening, which passed very pleasantly, contemplate Richard and Ada with an interest and a satisfaction that made his fine face remarkably agreeable as he sat at a little distance from the piano listening to the music--and he had small occasion to tell us that he was passionately fond of music, for his face showed it--that I asked my guardian as we sat at the backgammon board whether Mr. Boythorn had ever been married.
It was certainly odd that the one the Fagan woman had seen should present three spots so like those on the other paper, but people did sometimes throw treys at backgammon, and that which not rarely happened with two dice of six faces might happen if they had sixty or six hundred faces.
Afterward, he stopped to play backgammon at a coffee house in Greektown.
The clicking of backgammon dice filled his ears as he pressed the accelerator.
The diamonds of the backgammon board undulated like player piano keys.
Our old backgammon set came out from under a stack of board games, and a few of the older women began to count their worry beads.
Some were already up this morning, drinking coffee, playing backgammon, and reading the Greek newspapers.
I would be dutiful, I thought, and spend Christmas with my mother in Jersey, as she wanted, and we would laugh and play backgammon, and I would sadden her as usual by bringing no girlfriend, no prospective producer of little brutes.
When the wife has educated the husband to such a point that she can invite him to work out a problem in the higher mathematics or to perform a difficult chemical analysis with her as his collaborator, as less instructed dames ask their husbands to play a game of checkers or backgammon, they can have delightful and instructive evenings together.
With most men life is like backgammon, half skill, and half luck, but with him it was like chess.
With no expense spared, Fuad fed caviar and foie gras to jet-setting friends from his hobby worlds of backgammon, night clubs and horseracing.