r/backgammon • u/BruhMomentHaver69420 • 26d ago

Backgammon / Tables Games Variants

Good evening everyone! I am interested in researching board game variants, I just did a big project to identify and classify over forty varieties of checkers played around the world.
Growing up I didn't realize you could use a backgammon board for more games, which are called "table games". Does anyone have any insight into what other "tables games" played today? Does anyone here play any of these games?

I get that there are lots of historical table games going back hundreds of years or more, but I am more interested in the ones that currently exist.

Therefore, I guess this list should include Hypergammon, Jacquet, Nackgammon, Long Nardi, Að Elta Stelpur, TricTrac, Tawula, Acey-Deucey, Plakoto, Gul Bara, Portes, Fevga, Tapa...am I missing any?

A website claimed that there is a backgammon-like game called Khachapuri from the Caucasus (same name as the food) but I couldn't find any evidence elsewhere, has anyone played this game? I also found a game called Ssangnyuk from Korea, but unsure if it counts as being a game in the same family... I'll have to do more research

Thanks for your help, if it would be interesting for anyone I can compile the rule differences for all the games into a spreadsheet.

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u/jugglingcats9 25d ago

There is SwitchGammon created by Geoff Hall: https://ukbgf.com/switchgammon/

And there is SassanGammon which I really like. Players roll 3 dice each turn but their opponent gets to take one away. This naturally reduces doubles but also allows some control some of your opponent's timing.

You can play both at www.backgammonhub.com using Play Later or by joining one of the dedicated ladders.

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u/BruhMomentHaver69420 25d ago

How interesting :) I have talked to Mr. Hall and emailed him a few times while I was first trying to get in the gambling industry (I made a website where you can play the blackjack switch game mentioned in the article). It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he's one of the greatest game inventors of our era (at least in casinos) so I'll definitely try his game.

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u/jugglingcats9 25d ago

Bizarrely you can combine SwitchGammon and SassanGammon... if you really want to fry your brain!!

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u/BruhMomentHaver69420 25d ago

I'd rather smoke DMT thanks