Glossary of tables game terms
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a glossary of terms used in tables games, essentially games played on a Backgammon-type board.[1] Terms in this glossary should not be game-specific (e.g. specific to a single game like Backgammon or Acey-deucey), but applicable to a range of tables games.
A
B
- backgammon
- A game in which the loser has not only failed to bear any pieces off, but has pieces in the opponent's home table or on the bar. It is worth triple.
- bar
- The central strip separating the left and right halves of the board, usually formed by the raised edges or rails of each half board. The raised partition of the board.[7]
- bear off
- To remove one's men from the board in the final stages of a game.[8] The first to do so usually wins the game; however, in Trictrac, it scores points but the game continues. Also throw off[2] or take off.[9]
The standard bearing off procedure used in most tables games is as follows:
Bearing off is the process of removing one's men (pieces, checkers) off the board in the last phase of the game. To do this a player must move all 15 men into the home table first. To bear them, the player then rolls the dice and removes a man from a point whose number corresponds to that on one of the dice. Thus a roll of 5-1 allows a player to remove one man from the 5-point and another from the Ace or 1-point (next to the end of the board). If the point corresponding to a die roll is unoccupied, a man must be removed from a higher-numbered point. If they are empty too, a man must be removed from the highest numbered point that is occupied.
- block
- Any point on the board where two or more men rest. An opponent may not land on such a point.[8]
- blot
- A single man on a point.[2] In many tables games, this is a vulnerable situation as the man is liable to be hit by an opposing man.[8]
- board
- The whole playing area, traditionally a hinged, wooden tray.
- Same as quadrant. Thus there are four boards. In Backgammon and similar games, there is a home board and outer board on each player's side.[8]
C
- cast
- checker
- US backgammon term for any of the pieces used for playing the game.[8] Also counter, man or stone.
- cinque
- closed point, closed space
- Usually, a point or space that is occupied by two or more opposing men.[6]
- In some games, a point or space that is occupied by exactly two opposing men. See Nard.
- cocked die
- A die that comes to rest tilted and not flat.[11] May be automatically invalid in some games.
- come in, come on
- To bring a man back into play, after it has been hit or knocked off.[8]
- contrary movement
- A game of contrary movement is one in which the players move their pieces in opposing directions. Examples: Backgammon, Trictrac.[12]
- corner rattler, hornaskella
- A player's last pieces in the Icelandic game Chasing the girls (Að Elta Stelpur).[13]
- cover a blot
- To place a second man on an isolated piece thus making a point.[11]
- cup
- The container used to throw the dice or die. Should have a small lip on the inside to prevent fixing the dice.[8] Also dice cup.
D
- die, dice
- A die is one of usually two or three six-sided cubes used in playing a tables game. Each face of the cube is marked with a number of pips from 1 to 6 that is used in moving men or scoring. Plural: dice.
- doubles
- See doublet.
- doublet
- Two dice each with the same pip count. In some tables games, the player plays each die twice.[8] Also doubles.
- In French tables games, there were individual names for the doublets as follows:[14]
- doublet of Aces: bezas (diminutive of ambesas), bezet;
- doublet of 2: double two (doublet de deux);
- doublet of 3: ternes;
- doublet of 4: carmes;
- doublet of 5: quines;
- doublet of 6: sonnez ("ring the bells").
E
G
H
- hit
- In hitting games, to force an isolated opposing piece (or blot) off the board by moving a piece to the point concerned e.g. as in Backgammon. Also 'knock off'.[5][8]
- To score points by being in a position to move a piece to a point on which an isolated opposing piece is located e.g. as in Trictrac.[5]
The standard hitting rules used in most tables games are as follows:
The player rolls a die whose resulting number enables him to move a man (piece, checker) onto a point occupied by one opposing man, known as a blot. The player moves the man to that point and removes the opponent's blot to the bar. The opponent, in turn, must re-enter the hit piece before making any other move on the board.
- hit and run, hit-and-run
- Move in which a player uses one throw to hit an opposing blot and a second throw to move the hitting piece to a point occupied by a friendly piece.
- hitting game
- A game in which hitting a blot is permitted. Examples: Backgammon and Portes.[15]
- home
- noun. The first point on a player's side.[5]
- noun. The starting or finishing point.[5]
- adverb. To the player's first six points.[5]
- To play at home. To play one's pieces in one's first twelve points.[5]
- home board, home table
- That quadrant of the board containing a player's points 1 to 6. Also inner board or inner table.[9] Sometimes also called the finishing quadrant or bearing table.
- home point
- See ace point.
I
- inner board, inner table
- See home board.
K
- knock off
- See hit.
M
- man, men
- Any of the counters used to play a tables game. Formerly table-man.[16][17] Man is the traditional English term, but it is also called a checker (US),[a] counter,[b] piece[17] or stone.
- move
- The action of advancing a man in accordance with the roll of a die. If a man is advanced by the total score on two dice, it is a double move.
The standard rules of movement used in most tables games are as follows:
The player rolls the dice. For each number on a die, the player must move either one man (piece, checker) forward by the same number of points on one die and a second man by the number on the second die; or one man by the sum of the two dice, provided that the intermediate point (corresponding to a single move based on one of the dice) is not blocked. For example, on a throw of 5-3, the player may move one man forward by 5 points and a second man by 3 points; or one man by 8 points, as long as the 3rd or 5th point en route is open.
If a doublet is thrown, this counts as four separate moves each of the number thrown. Thus, on the throw of a double 4, the player may either move one man 16 points; or two men 8 points each; or two men 4 points and one man 8 points; or four men 4 points each. Each move must be legal i.e. to an open point that is not blocked by the rules of the individual game. Men may only move forwards, not backwards.
O
- open point, open space
- Usually, a point or space that is not occupied by two or more opposing men.[6]
- In some games, point or space that is not occupied by exactly two men. See Nard.
- opening roll
- The first dice throw of a game which decides who will go first
- outer board, outer table
- The penultimate quadrant of the board, preceding the player's home table or inner table.
P
- parallel movement
- A game of parallel movement is one in which the players move their pieces in the same direction around the board.[12] Examples: Fevga, Jacquet, Narde, Moultezim.
- piece
- Any of the counters used in tables games.[18] Also checker, man or stone. Man is the traditional term.[18]
- pile
- pin, pinning, pinning a blot
- In pinning games, to move a piece onto a point containing a single enemy man thus preventing it from further movement.
- pinning game
- A game in which pinning a blot is permitted. Example: Plakoto.[15]
- point, make a point, make the point
- Any one of the triangular spaces on a tables board.[5]
- To make a point is to establish two or more men on it such that it cannot be captured.[7]
- prime
Q
- quadrant
- One of the four sections of a tables board. Also board, division, quarter or table.
- quarter
- Same as quadrant.
R
S
- space
- One of usually 24 rectangular sections of a tables board, especially an historical one, one which men may be placed during play. Equivalent of point q.v.
- stack
- To place men one on top of one another. Also pile.
- A heap of men so placed. Also pile.
- stone
- See man.
T
- table
- Same as quadrant. One of the four divisions of the board.[8]
- Sometimes used to describe each half of the board (left and right).
- Tables board
- The playing surface of a tables game.
- Tables game
- A game played using a tables board.
- talon
- Point no. 1 in French tables games such as Trictrac and Jacquet.[20]
- throw
- trictrac, Trictrac board
- Type of board used for Trictrac and other French tables games. Similar to a backgammon board, but with high side rails and holes in the rails for scoring purposes.
U
- uncover a blot, uncover a point
- To remove a man or men from a point leaving only one man behind, who is thus exposed.
Footnotes
- In some games a point is blocked if occupied by one adverse man.