Iranian Students Play Out Tradition

The sounds of Persian music and dice rolling across wooden boards filled the halls of the second floor of Dwinelle Hall Saturday as more than a dozen students got in touch with a centuries-old Iranian tradition: a leisurely afternoon game of backgammon.

Iranian Student Alliance in America held its First Annual Backgammon/Takhteh Tournament, where students and adults played backgammon, or "Takhteh," one of the oldest recorded board games in history. The objective of the game is for players to move their pieces across the board while trying to block their opponents' pieces.

First created in the Persian empire, nobles and aristocrats played the game centuries ago. Today, backgammon lives on in many Iranian households.

Iranian Student Alliance in America President Pouya Alimagham, one of 12 participants, heckled his opponents in Persian.

"Part of playing the game is politely talking trash to the other players," said Alimagham, who has been playing since his grandfather taught him at age five.

The toughest competitors were the Iranian-born players, mainly graduate students who grew up playing the game, Alimagham said.

Alimagham was one of two U.S.-born Iranian players to make it past the first round.

UC Berkeley graduate student Hormozd Gahvari said the tournament was a way to connect with other Iranian students and an age-old tradition.

"I didn't start playing until September of last year," Gahvari said. "I knew about the game but I never really played until I came here and befriended other Iranians."

Heidi Atwal

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