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| Can you believe that Tavla is still popular? Or do you at least know what kind of game is this? If you like the well-known backgammon, you are surely interested in one of its most interesting versions called Tavla! Based on a survey, we can say that around 30 million players still play Tavla regularly in Turkey. These people don’t know what the doubling cube or contemporary backgammon mean. So let’s summarize in short why these players might still be the devotees of Tavla! |
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To begin with, try to think about Tavla as a variation of modern backgammon without a cube! It is thought to be the Turkish game-version; however, this is bewildering a bit, because backgammon itself originates from the Middle East. It is quite particular that while backgammon is becoming more and more popular on the Internet (through the online casinos), Tavla can still keep its own important place in today’s Turkey. Modernism seems to be not the negation of tradition, but the completion of it. One may explain by this the fact that Tavla has also shown its face on the internet recently. However, it’s not so popular in the virtual world as its sister game, modern backgammon.
Let’s provide you with a short history! If one thinks about etymology, it becomes clear that there is a strong connection between the Turkish ‘Tavla’ and the ancient Roman ‘Tabula’, and both have a link with the later English word ‘table’ which refers to the board itself games are played on. One version of Tavla comes from Iran and it is called Takhteh. You should also know that besides its many existing variants, it is remarkable that Tavla is more popular in Turkey than backgammon is in the US or in Western Europe! It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? The fact is that in Turkey a higher percentage of the total population plays Tavla than backgammon is played around the world. So if you happen to travel throughout Turkey, you are very likely to see a Tavla in progress.
But don’t forget that Tavla and backgammon are closely connected to each other! So if you have a reliable knowledge of backgammon you probably don’t need to study a game of Tavla for a long time, as Tavla will seem quite familiar to you! Let’s discuss about the similarities! To begin with, the equipment is almost the same: in Tavla you also have a board made of wood divided by twenty-four strait triangles, plus fifteen pieces for each player. The setup-position for these pieces is also similar to modern backgammon. Second, moves in Tavla are also made according to the roll of the dice. Third, both in backgammon and in Tavla, the rolled numbers can be played in any order, and if possible, both dice must be played. In case only one of the two is playable, one must choose the highest. Fourth, pieces are moved in the same direction and in the same way as they are in contemporary backgammon. The main target of Tavla is also identical to that of backgammon, players intending to be the first in bringing all of their checkers into their home area and after this bearing these checkers off the board. Bearing off is also similar in both games, so exact number is not necessary to bear a piece.
However, there are many differences, which refer mainly to the way Tavla is played. These make the game so exciting and so popular among its devotees who wouldn’t substitute Tavla for modern backgammon. The main difference is that Tavla is not a ‘maniac’ game played for obsession. It is played solely for having fun and entertaining. On the other hand, backgammon places a great emphasis on its gambling characteristic. Therefore there is no doubling cube in Tavla and there is no dice cup either. These would be without any sense in a game played only for the sake of enjoying it. So the players of Tavla throw the dice simply using their hands. Dice in Tavla also differs a little bit, as the number one dot is larger than the others and is usually modulated in red. And another quite a natural difference is that Tavla is not played at tables, but the board is put on the knees of the players. Isn’t it friendlier and more natural?
Tavla starts the same way as modern backgammon does. Both players have to throw a dice, and the higher roll will be the first. This player will start Tavla with a new throw, this case with both dice, and he or she may start with a double. As soon as the first game has ended, the winner gets the first throw automatically in the next game. You should also know that while in backgammon there is a tournament type, and fixed size board, in Tavla a number of boards are used in many styles and sizes.
Last, but not least, let’s talk about some differences in the rules! In backgammon there are formal rules which direct impetuous actions. In Tavla, on the other hand, there aren’t any formal rules regarding premature moves. Second, you should know that naturally, there is no such a thing like ‘an illegal dice roll’. In case the dice land on the checkerboard, the roll is valid. While in backgammon both dice should land flat on the right side of the checkerboard, and dice are re-cast if they are illegal, in Tavla the side does not matter, rolls are annulled only if they land out of the board. Landing on counters or on opponent’s side of the checkerboard are allowed in Tavla. This might also be explained by the main purpose of Tavla, that of entertaining and having fun. Tavla also lacks the special backgammon strategy of creating blots. So you cannot hit the other player’s checker in your home board and then just simply bear it off. Because of these facilitations, Tavla is a lot faster than traditional backgammon, although in the latter time-frame is limited for moves. In Tavla there are no clock-rules so there aren’t any time constraints either, but due to the lack of restrictions, it is a faster game so you can enjoy it! Keep in mind this latter feature, as if you happen to play Tavla in Turkey, you should try to forget the slow games of backgammon you are probably used to!
As a curiosity, let’s discuss a fair-play issue, namely the so-called ‘touch it - move it’. This is allowed in backgammon, as a player might move his or her pieces and bring them back to their original place before making the final move. In Tavla, on the other hand, after a piece is moved and the player raises his hand from it, the piece cannot be returned to where it was before. Scoring is an interesting issue as well. While in backgammon, gammons and backgammons are counted twice and three times the stake, in Tavla both score two points. In backgammon Crawford rule is applied, while in Tavla this is unknown. Finally, an interesting feature of Tavla is that players are quite familiar with game jargon originating from Persian language. So because of its peculiarities, Tavla is worth trying! |
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