2020-21:THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAMES
The playing of games dates far back into human history. Game playing in one form or another is found in all cultures. Games are a form of social interaction and enable people to test their skill and occupy their time. Board games are among the earliest.
SENET is the earliest documented board game. Hieroglyphic references to it appear in Egyptian tombs dating back 5,500 years. BACKGAMMON comes next, originating in Mesopotamia 5,000 years ago. GO originated in China 4,000 years ago. The GO board is square, 19 horizontal lines and 19 vertical lines for a total of 361 squares. The objective is to surround and remove all of your opponent’s “stones” from the board. CHECKERS originated in Iraq around the same time as GO. CHECKERS uses a board similar to CHESS but predates that game by 1,000 years. The CHECKER—CHESS BOARD is square with 8 vertical lines and 8 horizontal lines for a total of 64 squares. CHESS originated in China around the 6th century. CARD GAMES are the relative newcomers, first appearing in China around 1,200 years ago then spreading west across the Middle East then into Europe by the 14th century.
CHILDREN’S GAMES
Throughout history amusing children and providing activities for them to amuse themselves has been very important. Children enjoy playing ancient adult board games such as backgammon, chess and checkers, as well as newer ones such as monopoly and scrabble. Card games are popular with children, young and old. While older children play the card games of adults, younger children have their own card games. Old Maid, Go Fish, and War are some of these. Many games such as jacks and pick up sticks are designed especially for younger children.
ON DISPLAY
BACKGAMMON is a game of chance and skill involving the throwing of dice. The goal is to remove all of your opponent’s pieces from the board. Scorekeeping is one aspect of this game.
CHECKERS is a game of strategy. The objective is to remove all of your opponent’s pieces from the board.
CHESS is also a game of strategy. The objective is to trap your opponent’s King leaving him no means of escape while protecting your own King from the same fate. When a King is left without a move the opponent says, “checkmate” and the game is over.
CRIBBAGE is a 17th century game played with a standard 52-card deck but without jokers. The cribbage board is simply a way of keeping score. Score can also be kept with a pencil and paper but as virtually every discard results in scoring, the cribbage board is much more efficient. The first player to get 121 points wins the game.
POKER is a game played with a standard 52-card deck plus jokers. There are many different games of poker, each governed by its own rules. Poker “chips” are purchased and used to wager on hands. Each hand is a complete game. The objective is to win each hand and the “pot” of chips.
WHIST is a “trick-taking” card game from early 18th century England. It is played by two sets of partners with a standard 52-card deck. It is similar to BRIDGE but without “bidding”.
PINOCHLE is a card game that can be played by two, three or four persons. The PINOCHLE deck has only 48 cards, 2 cards of each suit: Nines, Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings and Aces. There are no twos through eights in PINOCHLE.
DOMINOS is one of many “tile games” all tracing their roots back to China 1,000 years ago. Many variations are played around the world including a version using bone tiles played by the Native Inuit peoples of Western North America. Modern American DOMINO games have quaint names such as Coon Can, Moon, and Forty-Two. DOMINOS became popular in Texas in the 19th century when the Baptist church declared card playing “sinful”.
