The Revertier Game

The Revertier

The Revertier (or Réverquier) is a game very close to Backgammon. Played under the Ancien Régime, it would probably be completely forgotten today were it not for a Swedish association affiliated with the Vasa Museum, which revived it with some adjustments to the rules under the name “Swedish Tables”.

Swedish Tables (French: Tables suédoises)

1. Equipment

A board with 24 points, also called “spaces”, grouped into four quadrants of 6 points each;

15 dark checkers and 15 light checkers;

2 dice (both players use the same dice);

2 dice cups (one per player).

The board is called the “tablier”, in the sense that it holds the “tables” (an old name for the checkers).
A Backgammon set will do.

2. Starting position

Each player places their 15 checkers on their opponent's side and to their opponent's left, as shown in the following figure:

WHITE

  +-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

   | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  N |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  N |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  | 15 |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  |                  |   |                  |

  |                  |   |                  |

  |                  |   |                  |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  |15  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  | B  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  | B  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

+-m--n--o--p--q--r-------s--t--u--v--w--x-+

BLACK

The dotted lines represent the points, and the number “15” corresponds to the total number of checkers on the point (including the two checkers marked “N” or “B”)

The 15 checkers on their starting point make up the “Talon”. White's Talon is on point “m”, Black's is on point “a”.

3. Path of the checkers

For Black: from “a” to “l”, then continuing from “m” to “x”

For White: from “m” to “x”, then continuing from “a” to “l”

4. Definitions

Talon : the 15 checkers on their starting point make up the “Talon”. White's Talon is on point “m”, Black's is on point “a”

Head : the eleventh point counting from the Talon. White's Head is on point “x”, Black's is on point “l”

“Outward” game : for each player, the portion of the path running from the Talon to the Head

“Return” game : for each player, the portion of the path running from the opponent's Head to their own Talon

5. Object of the game

In the Revertier, a game can be won in two distinct ways:

Bringing all 15 checkers into the fourth quadrant of the path — the zone from “s” to “x” for Black, and from “g” to “l” for White — and then being the first to bear them all off the board;

Putting one's opponent in a position where they are permanently unable to play.

6. Priority of the dice

To determine which player will roll the dice for the first move of the game, each player rolls one die, and whoever gets the higher number takes both dice and rolls again to begin the game.

7. Validity of the dice

If, on a roll of the dice, at least one of them goes off the board or lands on one of the rails, the entire roll must be made again.

If a die ends up tilted and the players cannot agree on the value showing, the entire roll must be made again.

If one of the players maintains that the die is valid, they may perform a test by placing another die on top of the die in question: if the test die slides off, the dice must be re-rolled; otherwise the roll stands as valid. This test may only be carried out by the player claiming the die is valid, not by the one disputing it.

Dice lying flat on top of checkers are valid.

8. Moving the checkers

a) On a non-double roll (the 2 dice show different numbers) one may:

Either move one checker by the value of one die and a second checker by the value of the other die;

Or move a single checker by the value of one of the two dice, then from that resting position move the same checker again by the value of the second die. It is essential to pause briefly on the intermediate point.

b) On a double (both dice show the same value):

The value of one die is played four times, which allows one to four checkers to be moved.

If a single checker is moved 2 to 4 times the value of a die, a short pause must be made on each intermediate point.

c) “Touch a checker, play a checker” :

A player who, after rolling the dice, touches at least one of their checkers may be forced by the opponent to play it, if it can legally be played.

However, one may touch one of their checkers without being obliged to play it if they have first announced “I adjust!”. This announcement may only be used to straighten up one's checkers, never to make an actual move.

9. Names given to doubles

Old-time players used to announce doubles as follows:
Double of :

6 : “Sonnés”
5 : “Quines”
4 : “Carmes”
3 : “Ternes”
2 : “Double deux”
Ace : “Bezas”

10. Obligation to play the higher die

If one can play either of the two dice but not both, one is required, if possible, to play the higher one. This is why, after rolling the dice, players must announce the dice starting with the higher one (for example “4 and 2”, not “2 and 4”). Incidentally, a “1” is not called “one” but “Ace”.

When rolling a double, one must play the maximum number of points possible (while remaining, of course, a whole multiple of the value of one die).

11. Restriction on moving checkers

In both the “outward” game and the “return” game, a checker may not stop, or even rest, on a point occupied by more than one enemy checker.

Furthermore, in the “outward” game, except on the Head, a checker may not stop, or even rest, on a point occupied by a checker of its own colour.

12. Sending checkers off

When a checker rests or stops on a lone enemy checker (a blot), that checker is removed from play and placed on the middle band of the board, on the opponent's side.

The middle band is called the bar.

13. Entering checkers from the bar

Any checkers sent to the bar must all re-enter in the first quadrant before play may resume with either the checkers that were not hit or the ones that have just re-entered.

They must re-enter through the first quadrant, the one containing the Talon. The Talon is the first point of the entering quadrant.

The normal rules for moving checkers still apply when entering: since this is part of the “outward” game, it is not possible to enter on a point occupied by one of one's own checkers, nor on a point occupied by more than one enemy checker. Nor is it possible to enter on the Talon if it still contains at least one of one's own checkers. However, one may enter on a lone enemy checker (a blot), which is then sent to the bar in its turn.

A die may not be used to move any checker on the board, including one just entered, as long as at least one checker remains on the bar.

14. Bearing off checkers

Once all 15 checkers have entered the last quadrant, they are borne off the board following these rules:

During this phase, the outer edge of the board is treated as an additional point.

One is required to play checkers, if possible, on the points of the last quadrant, including the outer edge.

If it is not possible to play as described above, one plays the checkers furthest from the edge, bearing them off the board.

WHITE

 +-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

 | B  B  |  B  B  | |   | B  |  |  |  |  | |

 | B  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 |11  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 |                  |   |                  |

 |                  |   |                  |

 |                  |   |                  |

Once White has brought the checker on “f” into the last quadrant, White may begin bearing checkers off the board.

Examples

White rolls “3 and 2”

White plays the checker from “f” to “i” for the 3, and bears off the checker on “k” for the “2”.

White could instead have played the checkers on “h” and “i” without bearing any checker off, since the one on “f” had not yet entered.

White could also have brought the checker on “f” in by playing it to “h” for the 2, but the 3 would not have allowed any checker to be borne off (“j” is empty, and the checkers on “h” and “i” are still playable inside the board).

White rolls “6 and 5”

White plays the 6 from “f” to “l”, thereby bringing in the last checkers, and bears off the checker on “h” for the 5.

White could have played the checker from “f” to “k” for the 5 and borne off the checker on “h” for the 6, which indeed cannot be played inside the board, including on the edge.

White rolls “Bezas”

White plays the checker on “f” to “g” for one Ace, then bears off three checkers on “l” for the remaining three Aces.

White could have played “f” to “g” for one Ace, then borne off the checkers on “k” for a second and third Ace, and finally borne off a checker on “l” for the last Ace.

And so on.

White rolls “Sonnés”

White brings the checker from “f” to “l” in for one 6, then bears off the checker on “h” for another 6, then the checker on “i” for a third 6, and finally the checker on “k” for the last 6

15. Permanently blocking the opponent

This type of block earns the player who achieves it a double win of the game.

If, in the Talon quadrant, the total number of empty points and points occupied by the opponent is fewer than the number of checkers outside the board that still need to enter through that quadrant, the player in question will never again be able to bring in all of their checkers. In that case the opponent has won a double game.

Example

WHITE

  +-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

  | |  N  |  B  |  | |   | N  N  B  |  B  N |

  | |  |  |  B  |  | |   | |  |  B  |  B  N |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  B  |  |  4 |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  |                  |   |                  |

  |                  |   |                  |

  |                  |   |                  |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  | |  |  |  |  |  | | N | |  |  |  |  |  | |

  | B  |  |  |  |  | | N | N  N  |  |  |  B |

  | B  B  B  |  N  | | N | N  N  |  B  B  B |

  +-m--n--o--p--q--r-------s--t--u--v--w--x-+

BLACK

Here Black has not lost the game:

Black has three checkers to bring in.

Three points allow this : “c” immediately, “b” and “d” once White has vacated them.

Black is not obliged to play, and may pass their turn until the points occupied by White are vacated or become vulnerable.

16. Winning the game

The player who is first to bear off all 15 checkers, whether or not the opponent has begun bearing off their own checkers, scores 1 point, or a single game.

The player who has permanently blocked their opponent scores 2 points, or a double game.

Swedish Tables
(French: Tables suédoises)

The Revertier has what may be felt to be a drawback: temporary blocking. For the whole duration of such a block, only one player is active, while the blocked player must wait on the goodwill of the opponent or of the dice. The Revertier recently underwent a modification in Sweden aimed at removing this drawback. The game was given the name “Swedish Tables”.

As with Trictrac, other ways of winning the game have been added, in the form of special formations to be achieved.

1. The opponent blocking the re-entry of checkers

Example :

WHITE

 +-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | N  |  B  B  B  B |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  B  B  B |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  B  | |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 |                  | N |                  |

 |                  | N |                  |

 |                  | N |                  |

REVERTIER

Black has three checkers to bring in.

Black can bring one in on “e” and another on “d”.

Black must wait until one of the points “a”, “b”, or “c” becomes free or vulnerable in order to bring in the last checkers.

Black is temporarily blocked.

SWEDISH TABLES

Black has three checkers to bring in and only two openings, points “d” and “e”.

However, Black is allowed to bring one of their three checkers in on a point of White's that would normally be invulnerable — “a, b, or c”. The checkers on the point thus forced are sent to the bar.

This rule only applies if there are more checkers on the bar than points normally accessible in the first quadrant. In this example, that condition is met: there are three checkers on the bar for only two accessible points.

Exception to this rule: if the checker on the bar is the last one still needing to enter, the other fourteen having already done so, that checkers can no longer force an invulnerable point.

2. Sealing the board

Reminder : two or more checkers on a point prevent the opponent from landing there. The point is said to be invulnerable.

REVERTIER

If a player loads six or seven consecutive points with two checkers each, they completely seal off their opponent's checkers' path.

This sealing is allowed, but of course it can only be achieved during the “return” game.

SWEDISH TABLES

Sealing the board is possible just as in the Revertier, but it is penalised by the fact that the opposing player can force it open by landing on one of the points involved, or by passing through it. The forced point has all of its checkers sent to the bar.

The Head of the player attempting to seal the board is never part of it, and therefore can never be forced.

Exception to the rule: if a player has only one checker left to bear off, they no longer have the right to force open a sealed point.

3. Different ways of winning a game

3.1 Jan

This is the permanent block from the Revertier. The player denies themselves the possibility of bringing in all the checkers they have on the bar by having too many points occupied by their own checkers in their first quadrant.

It is worth 4 points.

3.2 Forced Jan

This is the same situation as the Jan, except that the excess checkers on the bar result from the opponent forcing open a point that would normally be invulnerable in their first quadrant. The game is won as a result of this forcing. This is the great stroke of the game.

It is worth 6 points.

3.3 Bearing off

The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game.

It is worth 1 point.

3.4 The beautiful formations

a) the single crown consists of placing 3 checkers on each of the last 5 points of the last quadrant. It is worth 2 points.

b) the double crown consists of placing 5 checkers on each of the last three points of the last quadrant. It is worth 2 points.

c) the staircase consists of placing, in the last quadrant, 7 checkers on the last point, 5 on the second-to-last, and 3 on the third-to-last. It is worth 2 points.

d) the tower consists of stacking all 15 checkers on the last point of the fourth quadrant. It is worth 2 points.

3.5 Hermit

When a player wins by bearing off or by one of the beautiful formations, while the opponent has one or more checkers on the bar, they increase their win by 1 point.

The term hermit is given to checkers left on the bar.

4. Method of bearing off checkers

The Swedish tables use, for bearing off checkers, a method that was also that of Trictrac in certain French provinces and which was abandoned in favour of the simpler method of the Revertier or of modern Backgammon.

The purpose of the method is to slow down the bearing off of checkers, to the opponent's advantage. Because it holds little interest in Trictrac, it was very quickly abandoned by the majority of players in favour of the fast method then known as the Parisian method.

It comes down to the fact that one must play the maximum number of points rolled by the dice inside the board.

Example :

WHITE

 +-l--k--j--i--h--g-------f--e--d--c--b--a-+

 | |  |  B  |  B  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 | |  |  |  |  |  | |   | |  |  |  |  |  | |

 |                  |   |                  |

 |                  |   |                  |

 |                  |   |                  |

White is in the bear-off phase. White rolls 3 and 2, which is a total of 5 points.

If White bears off the checker on “h” using the 2 and the 3, only 4 points have been played inside the board.

If White plays the checker from “j” to “l” for the 2, then the checker from “h” to “k” for the 3, 5 points have been played inside the board.

The first way is illegal.

4. End of the game

In general, in the Swedish tables one must, if possible, play both dice; otherwise the higher die takes priority over the lower one. This rule also applies to forced entries of checkers.

However, when a roll of the dice would allow a player to win the game by any means (bearing off, jans, beautiful formations) without following this rule, they are then permitted to deviate from it.

If, for example, a player can achieve a single crown with the lower die, they are allowed to do so, but the game then ends immediately. If they prefer, they may choose not to achieve the single crown, but then they must play according to the two-dice rule and the game continues.

References :

Le jeu du Revertier, published by Charpentier, Paris, 1699

The Vasa Museum, dedicated to showcasing the salvaged wreck of the 17th-century ship.
The association that established the rules of the Swedish Tables is based there.