Table of contents:
- Ancient Greece and Bones
- Ancient Roman Dice Games
- Di althousand
- Mahjong
- One more game
- Types of bones
- First bones
- Finally
2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46
Board games are fun for people of all ages. They can be played with friends, children, in a noisy company of relatives. Such entertainment unites, makes you think, develops thinking, teaches you how to lose… In a word, the functions of such games can be listed indefinitely. There are a huge number of board games. All of them are different, fascinating and extraordinary in their own way. But one of the most ancient and entertaining is Bones.
Ancient Greece and Bones
"Dice" is a game that has been known since the ancient Greek period. It was thought that the invention of this occupation belonged to Palamedes, who took part in the Trojan War. Another legend says that the "Bones" are the creation of the hands of the Lydians (the people who previously inhabited the territories of Asia Minor). An event took place during the reign of Atys. Then the game was supposed to make people take their minds off food at least for a while. After all, it was during this period that the great famine took place. Therefore, the players played enthusiastically one day, not thinking about food, and the next day they already ate.
In ancient Greece, bones existed in two different forms. Cubes belonged to one type, an exact copycurrently existing bones (then they had the name "barrels" and three were needed for the game, and a little later - two such items). The second type of accessories is astragalus, four-sided cubes with recesses for markings. Each side had one, three, four and six indentations, respectively. In order for the game to go, four astragalus were needed. Each roll of the dice was called a hit. Among the popular games were even and odd, hitting an astragalus or a cube in a hole made in the board, and others.
Ancient Roman Dice Games
In ancient Rome, the rules of the game "Dice" practically did not differ from those that existed in Greece. But in this state it was officially forbidden to engage in such desktop entertainment. It was possible to play only when the Saturnalia holiday came. But, despite the taboo, the game was incredibly popular. She became a hobby of Roman emperors and writers. And from the pen of Emperor Claudius even came out a manual on the game of dice. But it has not reached our days, but, unfortunately, it has been lost for centuries.
It was in Rome in the third century BC that the first law known to mankind was approved, prohibiting gambling. It was called Lex aleatoria and vetoed dice as gambling entertainment. Sports, public, gladiatorial entertainment, on the contrary, were allowed by law. Both in ancient Rome and ancient Greece, bones took an active part in divination rituals.
Di althousand
Today, among gamblers, the game of "Dice 1000" is very common. It is somewhat reminiscent of a card thousand, but many people prefer the “bone” one. The game can be played by two or more players. Their number is not limited. Five dice are also needed, and the fun can begin. The goal of each of the participants is to enter the game and score a thousand points. But you need to do it faster than the rest of the players.
It would seem that everything is simple. But no, there is one important nuance here: points can not be calculated on all faces of the cubes. Only specific combinations of these faces can turn into certain points.
In one move you need to get 75 or more points. Then the player has the right to enter the game. Therefore, you must immediately throw out all the cubes, but you can count points only for those that have the necessary value. These are, perhaps, the main nuances of "Bones". Players deal with other subtleties already during the event. "Dice" is a game that only at first glance seems complicated. If you look, then there is nothing overwhelming in it.
Mahjong
"Mahjong", or the game "Chinese Dice", as the name suggests, came to us from the Celestial Empire. There are several versions of the appearance of entertainment. According to one of them, "Mahjong" was invented by Confucius, a philosopher from China. According to another theory, the game originated from the thoughts of a Chinese general. He invented it during the Taiping Rebellion so that the soldiers would not fall asleep while on duty. The first Europeans who met Chinesegame, were the British. After the UK, the Americans learned about it, and already from America, "Mahjong" spread throughout the world.
For this game, the bones were made by hand from the tibia of a cow. In the USA, a special book was created for this case. And since 1935, there has been a National Mahjong League.
One more game
The dice game has many varieties. One of these is Bluff. Due to the fact that the game has an element of bluffing, it is very similar to poker, which is played with cards. In order to start playing Bluff, each player must receive five dice. Before throwing them away, they must be shaken in a container (usually a glass is used) and turned upside down. Here you should not rush to show other players the resulting combination. You can not show it, but say any other. The combination can be false or true. But the opponent does not suspect this, and therefore, at his discretion, he can say "Bluff".
The leading player has lost if he is really exposed by his partner. If the competitor agreed with the leading participant, then he can roll the dice for a combination in response. Now the leading participant can open his combination. If the new roll is better than the previous one, then the player playing the role of leader has lost. Two people take part in this game, and the number of throws is negotiated before the Bluff begins.
Types of bones
Game dice are of several types. The most popular and traditional of them is the hexagonala die, on the sides of which dotted combinations are depicted, corresponding to numbers from one to six. Always the sum of points from opposite faces will be equal to seven. Perhaps this is also why Dice is a rather interesting and intriguing game.
Another, but not so common type of dice are products with card symbols. On their faces are the numbers nine and ten, as well as the ace, king, queen and jack. These are the cards used to play poker. There are also dice for the special Crown and Anchor game. Crown, anchor and card suits are applied on their sides.
First bones
Dice is the most ancient subject for games. Their original purpose was limited to divination and casting lots, and only later to the game. The forerunners of these items were grandmothers, which were found in the burials of primitive people. Grandmas were bones from the limbs of animals, they were marked with special signs on four sides. The oldest bones date back to the third millennium BC. They were found in one of the royal tombs of the Sumerian city of Ur. They were made of lapis lazuli or elephant bone. They were made in the form of a pyramid of four faces. Each bone has two corners, and they also had special decorations.
Finally
"Dice" is a great, ancient, intriguing game. She was banned many times, considered the lot of vagabonds and scammers, but she was able to win her place of honor in the world of gambling, proving that she was capable of more than just an occupation forhave a good time. And although modern entertainment is very different from the ancient one, it is still as popular among all peoples as in the most distant times.
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