[1] Trictrac's gaming interest lies in its multiple combinations, the importance of decision-making and its comprehensive rules which have been well documented and remained stable since the early 17th century.

It was one of a family of games of skill and chance that included backgammon, then known in France as tous tables,[3] and jacquet, which was much simpler and did not appear until around 1800.

[4] H. J. R. Murray notes trictrac's resemblance to the Spanish laquet in that neither game features captures of opponent pieces.

[5] The oldest treatise on trictrac was written in 1634 by Jollivet, a lawyer at the Parlement of Paris, in order to standardise its rules which had hitherto been handed on by oral tradition.

[8] The main sources for determining the origin of trictrac are the treatises published since the 17th century:[9][10][7] Jollivet (1634), in the earliest treatise on the history of the game knew nothing about its age or country of origin: There are minds who, to appear learned, like to date the antiquity of things to a thousand years before they were found, but this is only a very useless vanity, not to say inept.

[…] As for the antiquity of the game of trictrac, I am unable to say, I admit my ignorance, and am not afraid of being criticised, well I know that it will be more productive nowadays researching the titles and movements of the true nobility, than those of the antiquity of this game, which old or new, French or foreign must be regarded as the most excellent of all the social games.The anonymous author of the second book on trictrac, published by Charpentier[12] (1698, 1701, 1715) cites two possible countries, France and Germany (in fact, Vienna in Austria) as its origin and comes down in favour of France: I will say nothing about the antiquity of this game and I will not go into deciding whether it was the French or the Germans who invented it.

But I believe that if we judge by what seems to us daily, we will easily decide in favour of the French, and that we will agree that we play this fine game better at the court of France than that of Vienna.Soumille (1738) and Fallavel (1776) do not tackle the subject nor do Guiton (1816) or Lelasseux-Lafosse who wrote the last major treatise in 1852.

It is only a result of reading of our literature that it can be deduced that it is not three centuries since it was brought to us, and it was as commonly played one hundred and fifty years ago as it is today, without its rules having undergone significant variations.The treatises on the game do not go back before the early 17th century and searches of the literature are hampered by the fact that the word trictrac was also given to the board used for all tables games[16] and modern versions of ancient texts have the word trictrac when it did not exist in the originals.

A poem entitled La Friquassée crotestyllonnée, des antiques modernes chansons, the preface of which is dated 1557, notably takes up, sometimes playing on words, a large number of expressions of children's games, practised at the time in Rouen, three of which are also typical of the game of trictrac:[17] Grand Jan, petit Jan, Margot la fendue, et tous ses gens[18]However, these expressions were very common at that time (the first two refer to a deceived husband, the last a prostitute), so the reference to trictrac is not certain.

In addition, in 1907 a book was published bringing together in particular group games still played in the Normandy bocage, including the one entitled "Petit jean, Gros Jean, et Margot la fendue" which was played with three counters of wood, one small, one longer and another fork-shaped, and which could well correspond to the one quoted in La Friquassée crotestyllonnée of 1557.

It is thus a very fast game, a few minutes to a quarter of an hour of playing time, favouring bets and raising.

[22] Despite the obvious family link between the two games, no source confirms that tic-tac is either the precursor of trictrac or its successor.

Jollivet (1634) considers that the word trictrac is an onomatopoeia before asking the reader to be satisfied with this linguistic origin since "the subject is a game and not a science": The game of trictrac, as I estimate to be probable, comes from the noise which is made without exception in the exercise of the game, to the movement and placement of the men, which in their movements make a continual sound, which seems to be whispering "tric" and "trac", or as some call it "tic" and "tac", which are words really from the sound itself; which means that this onomatopoeia can pass for a true and naive definition.The anonymous author of the second treatise, published by Charpentier (1698, 1701, 1715), prefers a Greek origin, more noble and learned: As for the name of this game, many claim that it comes from the noise that is made by rolling the dice and shuffling the men, because that noise makes a sound that seems to repeat "tric trac" or "tic tac" over and over again.

But I would prefer, as a person who knew the game to perfection, to give it a more noble origin and derive it from the two Greek words Τρις-Τραχυς that can be written in vulgar script "Tris Trakus" and which means three times more difficult to play and understand.Soumille (1738 and 1756), quoting the leading lexicographers, affirms that the word "trictrac" is an onomatopoeia: Trictrac, the rules of which I will describe here, takes its name from the noise made by the men, dice, and cones.

Antoine Furetière, Richelet and the Dictionnaire Universel by Trévoux do not give it any other etymology.Fallavel (1776) is the most direct: "the game draws its name from the noise we make while playing it.

"[27] Guiton (1816 and 1822) does not address the subject, while Lepeintre (1818) initially distances himself from the name being an onomatopoeia before adopting it: Nothing certain about the etymology of the word trictrac has been found so far.

This opinion seems to me to be founded on truth itself.Lelasseux-Lafosse (1852), polytechnique lecturer and author of the last important treatise of the 19th century, quotes the two hypotheses previously put forward without taking sides: Many people think that trictrac gets its name from the noise made by dice, men and cones; others say that this name comes from two Greek words which mean three times more difficult.In conclusion, there is nothing to support either thesis.

Once a man is touched, the player may not change the announced points and the opponent can 'send him to school' (i.e. award him or her a penalty) for any errors made.

[28] Keeping track of the points scored is done on the board itself using three jetons, initially placed between the two talons against the end rail.

The choice of the positions of the eighth and tenth points is justified by the need to leave enough room on the board to throw the dice without hitting the jetons.

[28] A player winning a partie (i.e. reaching 12 points and scoring a hole) on his dice roll, has the choice between continuing the current game or starting a new one:[28] Any declaration or action to stay or go must be acted upon and is not revocable.

But if the first prevents the 12-hole run by scoring a hole, the flag is removed and laid down next to the board to indicates that neither player can win a grand lurch in that round.

The multiplier depended on the scoring scheme chosen: The oldest:[44] The second:[45] The last one described in the 19th century:[46] This method is more attractive because it gives the trailing player a chance to reduce the opponent's winnings up to the end.

10 at the start of a game may prove hazardous, reducing the chances of making a grand jan and being able to hit the opponent's men.

[28] The provincial method consisted in playing all that was playable on the board and only the men furthest from the talon were allowed to be borne off if the dice permitted.

An exception was that a player who had made a jan de retour could preserve it by taking out his extra men if they could be moved exactly onto the end rail.

[13] Three ways to score points were abandoned in the first half of the 17th century: Today, these three jans can be played optionally by agreement between the players before the start of the round.

The following summary table is based on Lalanne:[28] (n/a = non applicable) A game breaks down into elements or events:[28] The return run (jeu de retour) begins when one of the players moves at least one of his men to the opponent's side.

It is most often realised when a player has made a grand jan while having three extra men far enough back to preserve it as long as possible and to score false hits, and at the same time the opponent can no longer make his own grand jan leaving gaps for the opposing extra men.

[54] Gaming infringements are of two types:[28] False hits and schools are always handled by the opponent of the offender, each player refereeing the other.