As a game with roots that can be traced back to the Byzantine Empire of the 5th century, backgammon has a rich and storied history.  While it’s dizzying to understand how a pastime from such a bygone era remains popular around the world today, let it stand as a testament to the timeless marriage of luck and skill inherent in backgammon.  There’s also the social aspect as backgammon is a wonderful way to bond and create memories with family and friends. Expectedly, the game has evolved over the years with players developing a number of variations.  One such version for the modern era of rapid play is Hypergammon.   

• Regular backgammon rules are followed, but each side begins with only three checkers instead of the standard fifteen checkers. The checkers are placed on the opponent’s one-point, two-point, and three-point positions.
• Scoring follows the traditional model with the winner accumulating one point awarded in a win, two points awarded in a gammon, and three points awarded in a backgammon.
• The Jacoby Rule is often in play, which is also common in backgammon games where players wager money.  A doubling cube can account for gammons and backgammons counting extra.
• The winner of the game is the first to clear their three checkers from the board.  
• With a calculated 32 million moves, Hypergammon offers players a vast array of possibilities.
• Hypergammon likely involves more skill than luck in gameplay.  This makes it the perfect backgammon variation for seasoned players looking to tackle a new challenge.  
• The limited amount of checkers per side makes future moves difficult to conceive.