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Bonus Socius - Nicolas de Nicolaï - 1275
In the 13th century, inspired by anterior Arab compositions, the Lombard Nicolas de Nicolaï
composed in Latin the first occidental treatise about chess and tables diffused
under the name of Bonus Socius.
Florence Library, Banco dei Rari 241 :
This illuminated manuscript contains 11 problems of game of tables on 7 folios (ff. 112-118). We can find the variants of barail, imperial, minoret et testa.
In his article "The
Mediæval Game of Tables" (Medium Ævum vol. X n°2 [1941]),
H.J.R. Murray translated some terms of this manuscript:
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barra sb.
the bar. Exire ultra barram (fol. 117v), to cross the bar.
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cooperire c.
(fol. 117v), to cover, play a second man to a point already occupied by
a man of the same side
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domus, the
inner table from which a player bears his men
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extra (fol.
117v), outside the bearing table.
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fallum,
perdere ad (fol. 117v), to lose by being unable to use a throw
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firmare punctum
(fol. 113v), to hold a point by piling men on it.
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optare v.
(ff. 112v and 113v), to choose a throw.
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partita, a
problem
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posta, ad postam, invitare,
ad invitum, problem of which no explanation is given,
presumably because they were understood
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punctum,
facere punctum (fol. 116v), to hold a point by piling men on it.
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solus sb.
(fol. 117v), a single man or blot.
BNF Ms latin 10286 (formerly 7390) :
14th century copycat that would have belong to Charles d'Orléans (annotations in the margins). The 24 folios (ff. 149-172) containing the problems of tables are available for consultation on Gallica and begin with :
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« Hec sunt partita tabularum et quia dupliciter fiunt scilicet optando cum lingua et proiciendo taxilos, primo dicitur de optativis id
est illis que optantur sive petuntur cum ore. Et est istud partitum tale: dicit ille qui habet auream tabulam ista aurea tabula debet
elevari in punctis quia ibi est sua domus et rubea econtrario scilicet ubi stat aurea. et luditur in duobus taxillis pete primo vel
ego petam et scire debes quod illa que stat deforis scilicet rubea perdit sive primo trahat sive non: quia si primo trahat percutit
auream per sines et aurea percutit eam faciendo sines et vincit ut statim vides. si aurea primo trahat percutit rubeam per
sines et rubea percutit illam quia melius non habet. tunc aurea faciet iiii as et vincet ut videbis. »
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« Here are the problems of Tables that can be played 2 ways, i.e either "by chosing a throw" or "by casting the dice". The first manner is played
by announcing the dice as in this first problem. The one who has the golden pawn says : this pawn must be born off from the points [19 to 24],
because it is his homeboard, and the red pawn [does]
the opposite, i.e from where the golden pawn is. This problem is played with 2 dice [no more]. Be the first to announce or I announce.
You shall know that the one who is outside, i.e the red player, loses the game whever he starts or not.
Because if he begins, he hits the golden pawn with 6-6 and the golden pawn hits it in return with 6-6 and wins as you can see.
If the golden pawn begins, he hits with 6-6 the red pawn that hits it in return because he cannot do better. Then the golden pawn plays 4-1 and will win, as you can see. »
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In the 14th century, Bonus Socius was translated to French (Picard dialect) many times.
BNF Ms fr. 1173 (formerly 7391) :
Le Gieu des eskès, les partures de taules et le gieu des merelles.
The 24 folios (ff. 180-203) containing the problems of tables begin with : Chi commenc[h]ent les partures
de[s] taules et por ce ke [on] en puet juer en .ij. manières c'est asavoir par souhaidier de la langue et par gietter les dés, premiers dirons de celes à souhaidier, et est ceste parture tele, ke taule doit estre eslevée ens es poins. Et li taule rouge est eslevée ou taulier où celé d'or est...,
and finish with a problem that can be found in BNF Ms latin 10286 f.171v :
BNF Ms fr. 1999 (formerly 7918) :
Livret des divers jeux partis du tablier, manuscript that have belong to Charles V. The 17 folios containing the problems of tables begin with : Jà sont les partures des tables; et pour ce que elles sont faites en deux manières, c'est assavoir par souhait de la langue et en jetant les dez, nous dirons premiers de celles qui sont faites par souhait, ou par petition de la bouche..., and finish with a problem that can be found in BNF Ms latin 10286 f.166v :
A
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« Ceste partie est de souhait en trois dez; et doivent toutes estre ramenées à a, en faisant une meisme chose. A tous traiz l'en demande premier vi, v, iiii, en traiant toutes en la crois; après, vi, v,iiii, de toutes; au dernier, vi, v, iiii ; et conviennent toutes en a, si com tu pourras veoir. »
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« This is a problem with 3 dice by choosing throws. All the pawns have to be brought to A,
with the same dice. You ask 6-5-4 at first to move to the cross.
Then 6-5-4 and last 6-5-4. They are all in A, as you can see it. »
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Ms H. 279 (Montpellier) :
Li Livres Bakot, l’Explicit des partures de tables contains 48 problems of tables on 25 folios (ff. 90-114).
Pierpont Morgan Library. Manuscript. M.108. (also called Fountaine Ms) :
The 22 folios (ff. 147-168) containing 44 problems of tables (f°146 that contained the 2 first problems is missing) begin with a problem that can be found in BNF Ms latin 10286 f.150v :
A
  
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« Cis gius est de le tiest[e] et souhaidans en .iij. des et dient celles dor que elles
leueront toutes deuant che que les rouges soient hors cest en A. et traient chilles dor premers
et les rouges seront che meisme que celles dor et se les rouges
le perdent aucun point quelles ne puissent toudis faire tout le giu al dor le
uollent perdre tu auoec celles dor le fai .du. et as. et leaieme de un quaerne
il fera un quaerne deus et as et tu deus et ambes .as. enferant les sienes
atout le trait et il cece meisme. hoste lune en ferant lune des sienes et fai
deus et ambes .as. et il ce meisme tu feras le siene par deus et laut[r]e feras
en fasant ambes as et en desleueras une et en uiant ensi tu poras ueoir
coument tu les elleueras toutes deuant que nulles des rouges pinstissir et
leuenteras. »
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« This is a problem of Teste with 3 dice by choosing throws. The player with golden pawns says that he will bear off all his pawns
before the red pawns reach A. The player with golden pawns begins and he with red pawns plays the same throws.
The red pawns will not have to cross the board if they are hit contrary to the golden pawns.
You have the golden pawns and you announce 2-1 [to hit the 2 red pawns] and you cover with a 4.
He will do 4-2-1 [and will enter in points 1 and 4] and you 2-1-1 to hit his.
He will do the same : he keeps one and enters one [in point 2]. You do 2-1-1 with one pawn that will hit his pawn and then will bear off with 1-1.
And by doing so you can see how you bear them all before red crosses the bar. »
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The Origin of Backgammon
