Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 1, Number 10, DeMotte, Jasper County, 29 September 1932 — Backgammon Pastime of Old Egyptian Royalty [ARTICLE]

Backgammon Pastime of Old Egyptian Royalty

In accordance with the Egyptian custom of burial, when images of servants and pictures of daily activities were placed in the tomb so that the departed one could enjoy all the pleasures of her earthly life in the after life, a picture of a queen playing “tables” or backgammon was included so that her soul could indulge in a game whenever she desired. In later centuries backgammon was a favorite among the gentry. Kings and their mistresses wagered their jewels on the dancing dice. To Louis XIV it was second only to billiards. James I of Scotland spent the evening before his murder playing at the tables with the ladies and gentlemen of his court. It is also recorded that Mme. Pompadour owned many expensive boards, one, in particular, inlaid with gold and ivory and appointed with men of green and white ivory delicately carved. Luck played an important part in the winnings then, and so it does today, though our best gamesters insist that backgammon is as much a test of skill as chess or bridge, love or the stock market.