Ancient Board Games Brought Back to Life.
When were board games first played? As far as we know board games have been played throughout history. Frescos from thousands of years ago show people playing board games. Games such as mancala were played using the ground with strategically placed holes as a board and stones as checkers or men.
Mancala Ancient Board Game Handmade.
Many are still popular today such as chess, GO, backgammon, mancala, chaturanga, and some of the Tafli games from Northern Europe. Within the last century new board games such as monopoly and Risk and the new Euro style games from Germany have added to our collection of board games but they don’t the same feel as our older games. Old games are made from wood or stone. Modern games are made from cardboard. They may be fun but will seldom become a valued family heirloom.
Board games and chess sets are popular holiday and birthday gifts. Our regular customers have already sent in their orders because they don’t want to be disappointed if we run out of stock. It is not too early to shop for holiday gifts for friends and family. Handcrafted wood (cedar) board games and chess sets make ideal presents for your loved ones.
Fitchneal Handmade Ancient Game.
Have you played Fox and Geese? It’s an ancient game that was most popular during American Colonial days and can be played with two people or as a solitaire game for one. Move the pegs around the board and see if the geese can escape the wily fox.
In Northern Europe, came Fitchneal from Ireland, Tablut from Finland, Tawlbydd from Wales, Alea Evangelifrom Britain, all are versions of Hneflafl. These board games and more are available today as beautiful handcrafted games made in the USA.
Learn to Play Backgammon – Part 3.
Backgammon Tutorial – 3.
By now you have watched the previous 6 videos on my last 2 posts and are feeling comfortable playing your first backgammon games. They were:
Lesson 1 – Setting up the Board Lesson 2 – How to Move the Checkers Lesson 3 – Hitting and Re-Entering Lesson 4 – Bearing Off Lesson 5 – Making Points Lesson 6 – Primes.
In this part 3 were have 3 more videos by Bucky that will help you improve your game by teaching you strategies. Lesson 7 – Hits vs. New Points Lesson 8 – Slowing Down an Opponent Lesson 9 – Opening Moves.
You should now be playing a very respectful game of Backgammon.
If you are looking to buy Backgammon for yourself or as a gift go to Chess Sets Online.
Lesson 7 = Hits vs. New Points.
Lesson 8 – Slowing Down An Opponent.
Lesson 9 – Opening Moves.
Learn to Play Backgammon – part 2.
Backgammon Tutorial – 2.
Backgammon is a wonderful game that has been played for centuries. It may look easy but it does involve a great deal of strategy. In these next three YouTube videos, Bucky demonstrates some of these. You should be able to play a decent game of Backgammon when you have studied all 6 video lessons. As you remember my previous post had lessons:
Lesson 1 – Setting Up the Board Lesson 2 – How to Move the Checkers Lesson 3 – Hitting and Re-Entering.
In this post, we have Lessons 4-6: Lesson 4 – Bearing Off Lesson 5 – Making Points Lesson 6 – Primes All the lessons are easy to follow and you should be ready to play your first games. In my next post we have 3 more lessons: Lesson 7 – Hits vs. New Points Lesson 8 – Slowing Down an Opponent Lesson 9 – Opening moves.
If you need a Backgammon set for yourself or as a gift go to Chess Sets Online. ………………………………………………………………………………..
Lesson 4 – Bearing Off.
Lesson 5 – Making Points.
lesson 6 – Primes.
Learn to Play Backgammon – Part 1.
Backgammon Tutorial – 1.
Lesson 1 – How to Set Up the Board.
If you haven’t already played Backgammon you are missing out on a great board game. I just came across this video and think that it is the best that I have seen so I am happy to share it with my readers and will be following it up with more videos from Bucky. These show you all the Backgammon rules. My next post will show you Backgammon strategy. Don’t have a backgammon set? Get one at Chess Sets Online.
Lesson 2 – How to Move the Checkers.
Lesson 3 – Hitting and RE-Entering.
Circular Chess.
Byzantine Chess.
Circular chess is a chess variant that has been played since the 10th century in Persia. Byzantine chess, as circular chess is called, has reappeared as both a collectors’ items and as an interesting change to the game.
A Byzantine chess board has 4 concentric rings each ring with 16 spaces tot a total of 64 spaces.
The following video demonstrates the end game double sac, promotion and mate.
“There is no castling and no ‘en passant’ capture. The pawns that start on opposite sides of the board move in opposite directions. Pawns promote when they reach the opponent’s initial positions for the major pieces. Rooks and Queens cannot end a move on the same space from which they started (cannot go full circle). The rook is more valuable in this variant compared with standard chess. It’s worth more than two light pieces. The light pieces seem to be worth less than three pawns. Probably a light piece can, at times, be exchanged for two pawns.”
Medieval Chess.
Chess in the Middle Ages.
Chess has been played for well over 1500 years.
The game of chess probably began in India and eventually spread into the Middle East and finally into Europe where it evolved into something that loosely resembles the game that we play today.
The chessboard was originally round and it was a thousand years before the square board was accepted. Byzantine Chess is an ancient version of chess that is played on a round board.