| The simplicity of the game and hence the ease in | | | | and so printed materials for learning the game |
| which the backgammon rules can be learned, is a | | | | were absent. However, given the fact that most |
| key factor in the game's continual popularity. | | | | of the world's population was illiterate, |
| Although the backgammon game has developed a | | | | backgammon players included, the lack of books |
| number of variants in different regions around the | | | | was not an issue. |
| world, the various versions share sufficient in | | | | With the spread of literacy over the last 150 |
| common to allow players who learn how to play | | | | years and the increasing amount of leisure time, |
| backgammon in one country, to be soon able to | | | | new possibilities for learning backgammon opened |
| pick up the rules of the game in another part of | | | | up. Besides the old method of sons learning from |
| the world. Another important factor to take into | | | | fathers, or learning by watching other players, |
| account is the impact of backgammon gambling. | | | | people began to write books about backgammon. |
| Arguably even more than playing for fun, the | | | | In addition, clubs at school and at meeting places |
| draw of backgammon gambling has brought in | | | | such as popular cafes, starting to appear. These |
| many new recruits to the game over the | | | | provided many new opportunities for becoming |
| centuries and provided motivation for learning the | | | | acquainted with the game and learning its |
| rules well. | | | | strategy. |
| When the game first made its appearance on the | | | | Today, the introduction of backgammon software |
| scene of human leisure, one person taught | | | | for playing backgammon online harnesses the |
| another how to play by word of mouth, and by | | | | latest technology to bring the game to a new |
| observing how experienced players play | | | | audience, as well as broadening the playing |
| backgammon. For most of the history of the | | | | possibilities for experienced players. Online |
| game this will have been the way new players | | | | backgammon sites provide full information on the |
| were inducted. The early players might also have | | | | rules of the game, and they also offer the chance |
| been taught how to make their own | | | | of gaining valuable playing experience against a |
| backgammon set. This would not have been such | | | | sophisticated backgammon computer. Wherever |
| a difficult task since all the materials needed could | | | | you are located, as long as you have access to |
| be found locally, such as stones or pieces of | | | | the Internet, you can login to one of these |
| pottery for the pieces, and a wooden board into | | | | backgammon sites and in a short while progress |
| which the divisions of the backgammon board can | | | | from a novice to an experienced player. There |
| be carved. The first codification of the | | | | has never been a time in history when it has |
| backgammon rules was not published until 1743, | | | | been easier to learn how to play backgammon. |