Board games along the civilizations

FULL VERSION
Human history and games are inextricably intertwined. Games have been used to stimulate the intellect and competitiveness, socialize, and have fun.

Although is well know that Go was originated in China 4000 years ago, there is no evidence. Called Weiqi in China, Baduk in Korea, Igo in Japan, it eventually adopted the name Go in the West, where it triumphed in the 19th century.

In the book The Mahabharata you can find a mention of the Pachisi (the game of 25) our Parcheesi. The Indian emperor Akbar (1542-1605) played using a courtyard in his palace in Agra as a giant board. Sixteen women from his harem were pieces, dressed in different colors: red, green, yellow, and black.

The Indian sage Qaflan most likely invented Backgammon. The board has 24 points for the hours of the day; 12 of each half are the months of the year and the signs of the Zodiac; the 30 chips are the days of the month; the two dice constitute day and night and the 7 points that add up the opposite sides of the dice represent the days of the week and the planets of the Solar System.

Although Chess is relatively modern, it is fairly accepted that it comes from the ancient Indian game Chaturanga. The Persian Ferdowsi (10th century) tells how it was created as a result of two brothers fighting over the aspiration to the throne of a conquered kingdom. The wise men recreated their battle on a 64-square board where they placed figures of dark wood and white ivory, to which they assigned the same function as they had in the contest. Another legend explains that it was an oriental mathematician who invented Chess and that the king of Persia wanted to meet him in order to offer him whatever he wanted. The mathematician asked for 1 grain of wheat for the first box and that this amount be doubled in the next successively until all of them were covered. They soon realized that the payment was unfeasible (more than 18 trillion grains).

Domino was created around 1000 in China. The game was divided into two sides: the army and the civilians. It became popular in Europe around the 18th century from Italy. Its 21 pieces reflected the combinations that can be achieved with two dice; over time the number increased to 32, as double chips were included.

In the game of the Snake or the Goose, the spiral of the board was originally a coiled snake. You began to play from the tail until you reached the head. One theory indicates that the origins must be sought in the Templar mystery. The game would hide a guide to the Camino de Santiago. The geese would be safe locations; the well, the labyrinth or death dangerous places. The guild of fellow builders would also be alluded to due to the symbolism of the snail and the goosefoot.

 

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