A friend of mine, many years ago, told me about a story of two kings, one in the east and one in the west. The king in the east sent the game of chess to the king in the west with the message – “this game of pure logic represents life” and in return the king in the west sent the game of backgammon with a deeper message – “this game of both luck and logic more accurately represents life, for while we can plan our moves with wisdom, we must also contend with the dice of fate.”
Recently, I discovered this wasn’t just a tale – it’s rooted in history. The King of India (known in some accounts as Deosram or Debashlim) sent chess as a challenge to Khosrow I Anushirvan, the 22nd Sasanian king of Persia. This wasn’t merely a gift, but a test of the Persian court’s wisdom and intelligence.
When the chessboard arrived at the Persian court, it initially puzzled the king and his advisors. But Khosrow’s brilliant sage, Wuzurgmihr (also known as Bozorgmehr), rose to the challenge. In just three days, he not only decoded the rules of chess but defeated the Indian messenger in three consecutive matches, demonstrating the Persian court’s intellectual prowess.
However, Wuzurgmihr’s true genius lay not in mastering chess, but in his philosophical response to it. He created backgammon (nard) as a counterpoint, embedding in its design a profound statement about the nature of existence. While chess portrayed an idealized battlefield where every outcome was determined by skill and strategy alone, backgammon introduced the element of chance through its dice.
This was no arbitrary design choice. Through backgammon, Wuzurgmihr was making a statement about the fundamental nature of life itself. The game suggested that even the wisest plans and most careful strategies must contend with the unpredictable rolls of fate’s dice. Success in life, like in backgammon, requires both the wisdom to make good decisions and the resilience to adapt when fortune throws unexpected challenges our way.
When the Persian king sent backgammon back to India, it wasn’t just a game – it was a philosophical rebuttal. Where chess presented life as a pure battle of minds, backgammon offered a more nuanced vision: life as a complex interplay between human agency and cosmic chance, between the moves we choose and the dice we’re dealt.
Legend has it that while the Indian court had successfully created a game that showcased the power of human intellect, they were unable to solve the riddle of backgammon. Perhaps this itself was fitting – a reminder that even the most brilliant minds must sometimes yield to the element of chance.
Through these games, these ancient kings weren’t merely engaging in royal entertainment or diplomatic exchange. They were participating in a profound debate about the nature of existence itself, using their game boards as philosophical texts and their pieces as metaphors for life’s deepest truths.
Happy Holidays, and may both logic and luck be on your side!