Backgammon

How to play Backgammon

Backgammon is one of the oldest board games in the world, a race with plenty of strategy. You and your opponent move your 15 checkers in opposite directions around the board.

1. Roll two dice. Each die is a separate move: with 3 and 5, move one checker 3 points and one checker 5 points, or one checker 8.
2. Doubles count twice. Roll 4 and 4 and you get four moves of 4.
3. Your gold checkers move from the top right, around to the left, and along the bottom to your home board in the bottom right.
4. You can’t land on a point with two or more of your opponent’s checkers.
5. Hit a blot. Land on a point with just one opposing checker and it goes to the bar. It must come back in through your opponent’s starting area before they can move anything else.
6. Bear off. Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, move them off the board. First to bear off all 15 wins.
7. Use your whole roll. You must use both dice if you can. If only one can be used, you must use the bigger one when possible.

Win while your opponent hasn’t borne off a single checker and it’s a gammon; if they also still have a checker on the bar or in your home board, it’s a backgammon.

Quick tips for winning

• Make points. Two checkers together are safe and block your opponent. Points in your home board are the most valuable.
• Avoid leaving blots where your opponent can easily hit them.
• Escape your back checkers early, before your opponent builds a wall in front of them.
• Count pips. The pip count shows how far each side has to go. If you’re well ahead, play a safe race; if behind, look for hits.

Backgammon FAQ