The game of Revertier

The game of Revertier

The Revertier (or Reverquier and sometime Verkier) is very close to Backgammon and probably has a Dutch name origin (from the word «verkeer»). Today, the Revertier is still played in Suede under the name of «Swedish Tables» using a complement of rules, but, basically, Revertier and Swedish Tables are the same game. It had been played in France until the late 18th century and still mentioned in rules books of the 19th century . The following rules are those published in Paris by Charpentier for the first time in the year 1699. They had been reprinted in the numerous editions of the «Académie des Jeux» games rules book, until the very beginning of the 19th century without any modification. The only difference is I have written the revertier rules refering always to the backgammon ones.

1. The rules

Equipment :

· a backgammon board.

· 15 dark colour checkers and 15 light ones.

· 2 dice (the players use the same dice).

· 2 dice cups.

Starting position :

Each player stacks his 15 checkers on the opposite side corner at the left hand of his opponent as shown on the following diagram :

WHITE

+-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  B |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  B |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  | 15 |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

|15  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

| W  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

| W  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

+-m--n--o--p--q--r-------s--t--u--v--w--x-+

BLACK

· The dotted lines symbolise the points (arrows). The number « 15 » indicates the total of checkers on the point, including the two checkers « W » or « B ».

· « BLACK » and « WHITE » give the players positions in front of the board.

Circuit of the checkers :

· Black : from « a » to « l » then from « m » to « x ».

· White : from « m » to « x » then from « a » to « l ».

Vocabulary :

· Talon : The 15 checkers on their starting point constitute the « Talon ». The White's talon is in « m » and the Black's one in « a ».

· Tête (Head) : the 11th point starting from the talon. The White's head is in « x », the Black's one in « l ».

· The part of the circuit from the talon to the head (tête) is named « aller » (go) game, the twelve next points are named return game.

· Inner table : « a » to « f » points for Black and, « m » to « r » points for White.

· Outer table : « s » to « x » points for Black and, « g » to « l » points for White.

Goal of the game :

There are two ways to win :

· Beeing the first to bear off his 15 checkers (as in Backgammon).

· Preventing the opponent from beeing able to reenter anymore (Revertier specificity).

First roll :

· Play the same way as in backgammon.

Validity of the dice :

· Use the same rules than the backgammon ones.

Moving the checkers :

· Use the same rules than in backgammon.

Restriction for the checker movement :

· Same rules than in backgammon.

· Specificity of Revertier : when a checker is on the «aller» game, excepting the head, it cannot land and even rest on a point occupied by a same colour checker.

Hitting an opponent checker :

Same rule than in backgammon, but because of the latter rule, you cannot reenter on a point occupied by one of your checker (including the «talon»).

Bearing off :

Same rule than in backgammon

Blocking definitively your opponent :

As a result of the special rule allowing no more than one of your checker on your «aller» game (excluding the head), you can prevent your opponent to reenter the game.

· This happens when a player has a number (N) of checkers on the bar and occupied a number (M) of points in his inner table. If the number (N+M) is greater than 6, this player will never be able to reenter all his checkers. In that case the game ends, and the opponent wins a double game.

Example :

WHITE

+-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

| |  B  |  W  |  | |   | B  B  W  |  B  B |

| |  |  |  W  |  | |   | |  |  W  |  |  B |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  4 |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

| |  |  |  |  |  | | B | |  |  |  |  |  | |

| W  |  |  |  |  | | B | |  |  |  |  |  4 |

| W  |  |  |  |  | | B | |  |  |  |  |  W |

| W  W  W  W  B  | |   | B  B  |  W  B  W |

+-m--n--o--p--q--r-------s--t--u--v--w--x-+

BLACK

Black has lost the game :

· Black has three checkers on the bar : N=3.

· Black occupies four points on his inner table : M=4.

· N+M=7 : Black will never be able to reenter more than two checkers from the bar. Black looses a double game.

Temporary blocking :

The latter case hasn't to be confused with this one :

Example :

WHITE

+-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

| |  B  |  W  |  | |   | B  B  W  B  W  B |

| |  |  |  W  |  | |   | |  |  W  |  W  B |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  W  |  |  4 |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

|                  |   |                  |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

| |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  W |

| W  |  |  |  |  | | B | B  |  |  |  |  W |

| W  W  W  |  B  | | B | B  B  |  W  B  W |

+-m--n--o--p--q--r-------s--t--u--v--w--x-+

BLACK

Black has'nt lost the game:

· Black has two checkers on the bar : N=2.

· Black occupies four points in his inner table : M=4.

· N+M=6 : Black will be able to reenter his two checkers, but he has to wait White to free the « b » and « d » points.

· Black is only temporarily blocked.

Winnings of the game :

· Simple game : to bear off the 15 checkers is worth 1 point

· Double game : to block definitively his opponent is worth 2 points.

2. Swedish Tables

The Revertier isn't an easy game. Because of its specificities a game can last much longer than a backgammon one.

Actually, the best way to play Revertier today is probably to use the rules of the Swedish Tables. This game is basically the same than Revertier but some rules have been added to avoid temporary blockings and to give some other ways to win.

3. Origin of the game

The Revertier is a very ancient game may be having its origin in Holland according to the Dutch word « verkeer » (movement). In a book published in 1657, « Journée de voyage de 2 jeunes Hollandais à Paris », a game, named Verquier, is mentioned. The French rules book published in 1699 names the game : Revertier, probably from the Latin « revertere » (to come back). The Revertier was also named Reverquier (Dictionnaires de l'Académie françaises, 18th and 19th centuries) : this could be a mixing of revertere and verkier.

Références :

· Règles du Révertier (à Paris chez Charpentier, édition de1715)

· Swedish Tables rules : the rules of an enhanced version of Revertier, still played in Sweden

Information :

· On line the 29th of October 2004

· Updated the 30th of October 2006 : minor text corrections

Philippe Lalanne