Editing Backgammon (section)

==== Modern backgammon ====

By no later than 1850, the rules of play had changed to those used today. Tables boards were now made with a "bar" in the centre and men that were hit went onto the bar. Winning double or by "two hits" was achieved by bearing all one's men off before the other has borne {{nowrap|any{{hsp}}{{mdash}}}}{{hsp}}this was now called a ''gammon''. If the winner bore off all men while the loser still had men in his adversary's table, it was a ''back-gammon'' and worth "three hits", i.e., triple.<ref>Bohn (1850), pp. 380 ff.</ref>

The most recent major development in backgammon was the addition of the doubling cube. Doubles had originally been recorded by placing "common parlour matches" on the bar in the centre of the board.<ref>''The Retail Bookseller'' (1930). p. 34.</ref> A doubling cube was first introduced in the 1920s in New York City among members of gaming clubs in the Lower East Side.<ref name="robertie-501">{{cite book|last=Robertie|first=Bill|author-link=Bill Robertie|title=501 Essential Backgammon Problems|edition=Second Printing|year=2002|page=22|publisher=Cardoza|isbn=978-1-58042-019-8}}</ref> The cube required players not only to select the best move in a given position, but also to estimate the probability of winning from that position, transforming backgammon into the [[expected value]]-driven game played in the 20th and 21st centuries.<ref name="robertie-501"/>

The popularity of backgammon surged in the mid-1960s, in part due to the charisma of [[Prince Alexis Obolensky]] who became known as "The Father of Modern Backgammon".<ref name=GAM>{{cite web|url=http://www.gammonlife.com/news/the_inventor_of_doubling_in_backgammon.htm|title=The Inventor of Doubling in Backgammon|website=www.gammonlife.com}}</ref> "Obe", as he was called by friends, co-founded the International Backgammon Association,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gammonvillage.com/backgammon/news/article_display.cfm?resourceid=937|title=The Father Of Modern Backgammon - GammonVillage Magazine|website=www.gammonvillage.com}}</ref> which published a set of official rules. He also established the World Backgammon Club of Manhattan, devised a backgammon tournament system in 1963, then organized the first major international backgammon tournament in March 1964, which attracted royalty, celebrities and the press. The game became a huge fad and was played on college campuses, in discothèques and at country clubs;<ref name=GAM/> stockbrokers and bankers began playing at conservative men's clubs.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|title=Urge to Play Backgammon Sweeping Men's Clubs|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/01/13/archives/an-old-old-game-gains-new-favor-urge-to-play-backgammon-sweeping.html?sq=Tim%2520Holland%2520backgammon&scp=14&st=cse|quote=A disk and dice game that has been played in Middle Eastern streets for thousands of years, in English homes for hundreds of years, and on Bronx stoops for dozens of years has suddenly gripped the bankers and brokers of old-line men's clubs all over town.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 13, 1966|access-date=2010-09-10 }}</ref> People young and old all across the country dusted off their boards and pieces. Cigarette, liquor and car companies began to sponsor tournaments, and [[Hugh Hefner]] held backgammon parties at the [[Playboy Mansion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.play65.com/World-Backgammon-Championships-History.html|title=World Backgammon Championships History - Backgammon Masters - Backgammon Articles' Categories - Play65™|website=www.play65.com}}</ref> Backgammon clubs were formed and tournaments were held, resulting in a World Championship promoted in Las Vegas in 1967.<ref name=PLAY65/>

In the second half of the 20th century, new terms were introduced in America, such as 'beaver' and 'checkers' for men (although American backgammon experts [[Oswald Jacoby|Jacoby]] and [[John R. Crawford|Crawford]] continued to use both the older terms as well as the new ones).<ref>Jacoby & Crawford (1970), pp. 55 & 188.</ref>

Most recently, the United States Backgammon Federation (USBGF) was organized in 2009 to repopularize the game in the United States. Board and committee members include many of the top players, tournament directors and writers in the worldwide backgammon community. The USBGF has recently created Standards of Ethical Practice<ref>{{Cite web|title=Standards of Ethical Practice|url=https://usbgf.org/standards-of-ethical-practice/|access-date=2022-12-29|website=U.S. Backgammon Federation|language=en-US}}</ref> to address issues on which tournament rules fail to touch.

In its country of origin, the UK Backgammon Federation is the national authority and runs a backgammon {{nowrap|championship{{tsp}}{{mdash}}}}{{tsp}}the Backgammon Galaxy UK Open {{nowrap|Tournament{{tsp}}{{mdash}}}}{{tsp}}as well as club championships, online leagues and knockout tournaments. Like the USBGF they are active members of the [[World Backgammon Federation]] (WBF) and their tournament rules have been adopted in their entirety by the WBF.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What Is The UKBGF?|url=https://ukbgf.com/what-is-the-ukbgf/|access-date=2022-12-29|website=UKBGF|language=en-GB}}</ref>