The Acey-Deucey variation of backgammon was a popular pastime among the US Marine Corps during World War I. An article published on the Play65 backgammon site reveals that the game has been entertaining Navy officers since the early 20th century. It also shows that even the name “Acey-Deucey” has its roots in US Navy slang.
Acey-Deucey is the nickname given to the dice roll of 1-2. Normally a disadvantageous roll, the Acey-Deucey roll grants its caster special privileges: the right to play a desired double of his choice, plus an additional role (in addition to the 1-2 roll). Acey and Deucey were also the nicknames of petty officers 1st and 2nd class (respectively), who also entertained at Acey-Deucey clubs and saloons.
Acey-Deucey wasn’t the only occupation on the command echelon; Sailors used to spend the time between missions rolling dice and moving checkers. Acey-Deucey was everywhere, one sailor proved in a letter to the editor of Time in 1930, “on deck, below decks, in the engine room, the dynamo room, and in the turrets and steering rooms”, and was never seen in combat. Body.
Although Acey-Deucey can be played on the same equipment used in backgammon games, playing the game on the unstable grounds of the sea required some innovation. Therefore, to protect the dice and checkers from slipping and slipping, a special rim was built around the backgammon board, and the dice were dropped onto the playing surface through a tube.
Acey Deucey Rules and Strategy
The acey-deucey advantage is one of the main differences between standard backgammon and the sailors’ favorite variant. Backgammon and Acey-Deucey also differ in initial board configuration and final scoring; the Acey-Deucey game begins with both players’ checkers off the board and ends with the loser sacrificing one point for each checker that did not leave the board.
Despite the huge 1-2 payoff and the fact that Acey-Deucey is played without the doubling cube, the game leaves room for a pre-planned strategy. The Acey-Deucey strategy would focus on the early game, when both players enter their checkers on the board according to the rolls of the dice, in the same way that players remove their checkers from the board at the end of the game of backgammon. Reasonable Acey-Deucey strategy may include rushing in most of the chips and using them to block the opponent’s chips.
