Nard (game)
| Persian tables game, possibly ancestral to backgammon | |
|---|---|
Bozorgmehr demonstrates the game of Nardshir to the Indian rajas | |
| Other names | Nardshir |
| Genres | Board game Dice game |
| Players | 2 |
| Movement may be contrary or parallel depending on the variant | |
Nard (Persian: نرد, also narde or nardshir; from Middle Persian: nywʾlthšyl nēw-ardaxšīr) is a historical Persian tables game for two players that is sometimes considered ancestral to backgammon. It is still played today, albeit in a different form. As in other tables games, the playing pieces are moved around a board according to rolls of dice. It uses a standard tables board, but has a different opening layout and rules of play from that of backgammon.