ACEDREX BACKGAMMON

 

Backgammon History

There are dozens of variants from ancient Backgammon. 

These variants can be appreciated on website: bkgm.com/variants

More about Acedrex Backgammon

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Category:

• Abstract Strategy
• Dice

Mechanism:

• Advantage Token
• Betting and Bluffing
• Dice Rolling
• Roll / Spin and Move
• Track Movement

Backgammon is a game of mathematics, logic, strategy, and abstract thinking. Its history is rich, complex, and filled with intrigue, yet remains incomplete. Although its precise origins remain unknown, various theories—some ingenious, others exaggerated—have been proposed to trace its fascinating history.

Why play four-handed backgammon?

Involving more players enhances both the social and strategic aspects of the game, adding layers of excitement—especially when betting real money, similar to the dynamics of poker. Multiplayer games have long been appealing; for example, a 1283 Spanish codex commissioned by Alfonso X even featured four-handed chess.

El Mundo: 1283 a.D.

1283. Acedrex Backgammon 

This game is a four-handed variant inspired by The World: A Four-Handed Backgammon (1283 A.D.), featured in Alfonso X's codex. The concept is inspired by medieval wars, where warriors engaged in combat with shields and swords.

Acedrex Backgammon combines elements of mathematics, logic, and abstract strategy with dynamic mechanics to engage multiple players.

Acedrex

Acedrex Backgammon introduces a more dynamic betting system, enhancing gameplay fluidity. The traditional "prime" (blocked slots) is replaced by small battles between pieces vying for the same position, called "Acedrex." If the attacker wins, it’s an "Ace"; if the defender wins, it’s a "Drex." This innovative mechanic allows players to engage in every turn, as long as their pieces occupy the same territory as the active player's, adding an interactive and competitive layer to the game.

Backgammon prime.

Game Components

• Board: Preferably circular, divided into four territories, each containing nine slots, separated by a neutral zone and leading to a "jackpot" area.
• Dice: Two twenty-sided dice (D20) for movement and combat resolution.
• Pieces: 36 pieces (9 per player), with distinct colors (Blue, Red, Orange, Yellow) and black undersides for marking moves.
• Turn Marker: Indicates the active territory for the current turn.

Game Setup

• Each player begins with nine pieces in his territory.
• Players roll 1D20 to determine the starting player.
• Turns proceed clockwise; pieces move counterclockwise.

Objective

Capture 8+ opponent pieces to trigger the endgame. Points are calculated based on captured pieces to determine the winner.

Terms

• Alone: a piece NOT in combat (alone in a slot). A piece can only move if it is Alone.
• Charge: when a piece is moved to a slot occupied by opposing pieces. To Charge, a piece must use the full dice value. It means 1 engagement per turn.
• Combat: 2 untapped opposing pieces beside each other at the same slot.
• Jackpot:
  1. Landing on a jackpot slot: Move the piece into the neutral jackpot zone.
  2. Filling all three jackpot slots: Allows a player to reclaim the pieces into the jackpot, and forces him to repeat all Moving steps. 
  3. The last piece placed captures any opposing pieces in the jackpot.
• Jump: Rolling a 20 opens a portal allowing a piece to teleport to another slot occupied by untapped allied pieces. Tap the jumping piece as moved. Jumping is not mandatory. Use the 20 value to move pieces first, and then perform a Jump if you wish.
• Move: Use the die's result to move pieces within any territory.
• Roll: Roll 1D20.
• Tap: turn a piece right-side down to mark as a moved piece. Each piece can only be moved once per turn.
• Untap: turn a piece right-side up. Players Untap their pieces at the start of their turn within any territory.

Phases of Play

Phase 1: Movement

1. Untap.
2. Roll, then Jump, and Move or Charge.
3. Tap moved pieces.
4. Solve Combats.
5. Solve Jackpot.

Phase 2: Combat

Combat occurs when two untapped opposing pieces occupy the same slot. The farther piece from the slot center is the attacker, the next piece is the defender.

1. Combat Resolution:
   1. Each player rolls 1D20. The higher roll wins if either player rolls 13 or higher.
   2. A losing attacker is captured.
   3. A defeated defender in a foreign territory returns to its owner's hand.
   4. A defeated defender in its own territory returns to its owner's hand.
2. Special Outcomes:
   1. Dodge: If an attacker wins with 12 or less, pieces switch positions.
   2. Parry: If a defender wins with 12 or less, pieces retain positions for future combats.
3. Strategic Rules:
   • Modifiers: Extra pieces in a slot add +1 to their side's combat roll for each additional piece.
   • Combat Delays: Tapped pieces can’t fight, and block internal combats in the slot.
   • Critical Rolls:
     1. 1: Reroll until a non-1 result occurs (mandatory in combat, optional in movement).
     2.  20: Combat Rolls don’t activate a Jump.

Scoring, Winning, Betting, and Resigning

1. Scoring: 
   • 1 piece = 1 point; 
   • 2 pieces = 2 points; 
   • 3 pieces = 4 points; 
   • 4 pieces = 8 points; 
   • 5 pieces = 16 points; 
   • 6 pieces = 32 points; 
   • 7 pieces = 64 points; 
   • 8 pieces = 128 points;
   • 9 pieces = 256 points; 
2. Winning: The game ends when a player captures 8+ pieces. 
3. Betting: Bets are placed on captured pieces, and payouts are calculated based on the same scoring point system. Once the game ends, captured pieces are tallied, and scores are converted to monetary payouts based on the agreed-upon value per point.
4. Resigning: Players may resign at any time during the game to stop losing more money as bets double after each captured piece.
1. Remove all resigned pieces in the lane and jackpots.
2. Resolve bets.

Illustrations

Pieces in line

Jump

Jump

Dodge

Attacker wins, capturing the defender