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Backgammon
By: Amir Yarkoni
Backgammon ("shesh besh", meaning 6 in Hebrew & 5 in Turkish) is big in Israel & in Tel Aviv. In holidays & weekends you can see the gammon dices rolling on the Beaches of Tel Aviv, in Park Hayarkon, in pitzutziot (milk shops) and in shady betting parlors oftentimes called "internet caffes" for a certain strange reason... In the beach particularly, it is a phenomena: From hairy men in their 50''s (among them beach regulars aka "the constants") to sun-tanned teen girls, you might notice many playing backgammon rounds in the rhythm of a machine gun. So...what makes gammon big in Israel? Well, it is easy-to-learn, easy-to-play, fast rounds and the potentially drastic shifts in outcome even within a single game, it offers thrill and excitement for almost anyone. Maybe, for some tense Israelis, It is also a way to unload stress. I think that the appeal somewhat resembles the appeal of gambling: the thrills, the chance, the immediacy of win/lose situation and the common belief that the next round will simply be.....yours.
Want to learn more about backgammon? Try these resources
Backgammon Rules and Instructions
Backgammon Tips
Backgammon Strategy
Backgammon History
Backgammon on Wiki
The Gammon Magic
As a board game combining skill & luck, backgammon has the secret ingredient: it is easy to learn the rules and start playing, but still offers lots of room for improving your skill, which makes it interesting rather than repetitive. It is a game of tactic, but the novice can still beat the advanced with the help of the heavens, at least in one round. It is a common belief that new learners have a special dish of luck, the beginner's luck with the rolling of the dice and thus they will win the experienced player in the first match…
Backgammon in the Middle East
Gammon is widely popular throughout the Middle East. It fits the temperament of the region. There are few versions of the game in different regions of the Middle East. The gammon version we play here in Israel is "shesh besh" which is the version that is also played in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and tavla in Turkey.
Where to Play
Israelis are open people in general, so if you see someone in the beach with the gammon board, you can ask him/her for a match. Alternatively, you can start playing online if you want to sharpen up your skills.
Want to Play Backgammon Online? If you want to start and don't have the right partner, Try It Online. Enjoy!
Jacky Says...
- I usually play backgammon with beginners, but i still lose. Must be that damn beginner's luck! next time i'll find me some hairy dude on the beach and kick his donkey ass...
- recently i'm feeling backgammon is not intellectually challenging enough for me. I'm moving forward to chess!
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