Backgammon: a game of skill, strategy, and just a dash of luck. Dating back over 5,000 years, it has been played by kings, scholars, and strategists alike. But don’t let its ancient roots fool you - Backgammon is as fast-paced and thrilling today as ever. The aim? Race your checkers home and bear them off before your opponent can do the same. Oh, and if you can send their pieces flying to the bar along the way, even better.
Whether you’re a beginner or brushing up on the finer points (pun intended), this guide will walk you through the rules, strategy, and a few exciting variations.
What You Need
- A Backgammon board
- 15 checkers each (light vs dark)
- Two six-sided dice
- A doubling cube (optional but highly recommended)
The Board & Setup
The Backgammon board consists of 24 narrow triangles, known as points or pennants, arranged in two halves:
- Your home board (where you bear off checkers).
- Your outer board.
- Your opponent’s outer board.
- Your opponent’s home board.
Each player arranges their 15 checkers as follows:
- 2 checkers on their 24-point (furthest from home).
- 5 checkers on their 13-point.
- 3 checkers on their 8-point.
- 5 checkers on their 6-point (just before the home stretch).
You and your opponent mirror each other’s setup, moving in opposite directions toward your respective home boards.
How to Play
Rolling the Dice & Moving
- Both players roll one die - the higher roll goes first and uses those numbers for their opening move.
- Each turn, roll two dice and move checkers accordingly.
- A checker can land on:
- An open point (unoccupied or containing only your checkers).
- A blot (a single opposing checker - hitting it sends it to the bar!).
- If you roll doubles, you play each number twice - a potentially game-changing moment.
Hitting & Entering
- Land on an opponent’s blot, and you hit it - sending it to the middle bar.
- Any checker on the bar must be re-entered before you can move anything else.
- To re-enter, roll the dice and place the checker on an open point in your opponent’s home board.
- If no legal move exists, you lose your turn.
Bearing Off (Winning the Game!)
- Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, you can start bearing them off.
- You must roll the exact number needed to remove a checker from a specific point.
- If the number rolled is higher than the highest occupied point, you can remove a checker from the highest one available.
- First player to bear off all 15 checkers wins!
Strategy & Tactics
- Prime your position – A row of two or more checkers blocks your opponent.
- The Running Game vs The Holding Game – Sprint for the finish or hold back for tactical blocking.
- Use doubles wisely – They can turn the tide in an instant.
- Play the long game – Think ahead, especially when deciding whether to hit or hold.
The Doubling Cube & Gambling Variants
For those who like to raise the stakes, Backgammon includes a doubling cube marked with 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64.
- At any point on their turn, a player can offer a double, increasing the game’s value.
- If their opponent accepts, the stakes are doubled.
- If they decline, they forfeit the game at the current stake.
- Doubling can continue, escalating up to 64 times the original value!
Popular Backgammon Variations
Jacoby Rule
- In money games, gammons (winning before the opponent bears off any checkers) and backgammons (winning while the opponent still has checkers on the bar or in your home board) only count for extra points if the doubling cube has been used.
Crawford Rule
- In match play, when a player is one point away from winning, their opponent cannot offer a double in the next game.
Beaver & Raccoon Rules
- In some variations, a player who is doubled can immediately redouble (known as beavering), keeping control of the doubling cube!
The Final Roll
Backgammon is a game of skill, patience, and just the right amount of risk-taking. Whether you're aiming for a quick sprint to the finish or outmanoeuvring your opponent with clever blocks and well-timed doubles, every match is a chance to sharpen your strategy.
Now you know the rules, grab a board, roll the dice, and let the battle begin!