How to Play Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games still played, and one of the friendliest to learn. Every turn is short, the luck of the dice keeps beginners in the game, and yet good judgment wins out over a long evening. This guide covers the standard rules exactly as our free online backgammon game plays them, with examples you can follow on the board.
The Board and the Checkers
The board has 24 long triangles called points, twelve along each side. A raised strip down the middle, the bar, splits each side into two halves of six points. Each player has 15 checkers. On our board you have the light, plain checkers and the computer has the dark ones with a bright ring.
Each player counts the points from their own side. Your 1-point is the corner of your home board, and your points climb to the 24-point in the far corner, which is your opponent's 1-point. Our board always prints the numbers from your side, so your home board is points 1 to 6.
The starting position
| Your point | Your checkers | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 2 | Deep in your opponent's home board (your "back checkers") |
| 13 | 5 | Your opponent's outer board, across from your home |
| 8 | 3 | Your outer board, next to the bar |
| 6 | 5 | Your home board |
Your opponent sets up the same way, mirrored, from their own side. Each side starts with a pip count of 167.
The Goal
Your checkers travel in one direction only: from your 24-point down toward your 1-point, and then off the board. Your opponent's checkers travel the opposite way. The first player to move all 15 checkers into their home board and then bear them off wins.
Starting the Game
Each player throws one die. Whoever rolls higher moves first, using the two numbers already on the table as their roll. If both dice show the same number, both players roll again. After that, players take turns rolling two dice.
Example. You roll a 5 and the computer rolls a 3. You go first and play 5-3. A favourite with 5-3 is to move one checker from your 8-point to your 3-point and another from your 6-point to your 3-point, building a new point in your home board.
Moving the Checkers
The two dice are two separate moves. With a roll of 6 and 4 you can move one checker six points and another four, or move a single checker ten points, as long as the point it touches after the first die is open.
- Open points. A checker may land on an empty point, on a point with your own checkers (any number), or on a point with exactly one opposing checker.
- Blocked points. A point with two or more of your opponent's checkers is closed. You may not land there, not even in the middle of moving one checker with both dice.
- Doubles. If both dice show the same number, you play that number four times. A roll of 3-3 lets you move 3, 3, 3 and 3, using one checker or several.
You must use your whole roll
If there is any legal way to use both dice, you must use both. When only one die can be used, you must use that one; and if either die could be played but not both, you must play the larger number. With doubles you play as many of the four moves as you can. If neither die can be used, your turn is simply lost. Our game never asks you to work this out: it only lets you make moves that leave a legal way to finish the turn.
Example. Your last checker outside home sits on your 13-point. You roll 6-3, and your opponent holds your 4-point and your 7-point is open. Moving 13 to 7 with the 6 leaves the 3 unplayable (7 to 4 is blocked), and moving 13 to 10 with the 3 leaves the 6 unplayable (10 to 4 is blocked). Only one die can be used, so you must play the 6.
Hitting and the Bar
A single checker on a point is called a blot. If your opponent lands on your blot, it is hit and placed on the bar. Two or more checkers together make a point that cannot be hit.
A player with any checker on the bar must bring it back in before moving anything else. The checker enters your opponent's home board: a roll of 1 enters on your opponent's 1-point (your 24-point), a 2 on their 2-point (your 23-point), and so on up to 6. You can enter on any point that is open. If both dice point at blocked points, you lose your turn. If your opponent holds all six of their home points, a closed board, you cannot enter at all and must wait until they open a point.
Example. The computer hits your blot on your 9-point. Your checker goes to the bar, and that checker now has 25 pips to travel instead of 9, a loss of 16 pips. On your next roll of 5-2, you might enter on your 20-point with the 5 (if it is open), then play the 2 anywhere.
Bearing Off
Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you can start taking them off the board. A die lets you remove a checker from the point with that number: a 4 bears off a checker from your 4-point. You may also use the die to move a checker within your home board instead.
If you roll a number higher than your highest occupied point, you bear off a checker from that highest point. If you roll a number for an empty point and you still have checkers on higher points, you must move one of those higher checkers down instead. If one of your checkers is hit while you are bearing off, it must come all the way back around before you can bear off again.
| Your home board | Roll | What you may do |
|---|---|---|
| Checkers on 5, 3 and 1 | 6-2 | The 6 bears off from the 5-point (nothing higher). The 2 moves 3 to 1, or 5 to 3. |
| Checkers on 6 and 2 | 4-1 | The 4 cannot bear off (the 6-point is higher), so move 6 to 2, then the 1 moves a checker down. |
| Two checkers on 4 | 4-4 | Bear off both with two 4s; the other two 4s are not needed. |
Winning and Scoring
| Result | When | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Single game | The loser has borne off at least one checker | 1 |
| Gammon | The loser has not borne off any checkers | 2 |
| Backgammon | The loser has borne off none and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board | 3 |
Players usually play a match: the first to reach an agreed number of points wins. In our game you can play one game or a match to 3, 5 or 7 points.
The Doubling Cube
The doubling cube is a die marked 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64. It is optional; turn it on in Settings under House rules. At the start of the game it sits in the middle (showing 64, meaning the stake is 1). At the start of your turn, before you roll, you may offer to double the stakes. Your opponent then either:
- takes, and the game goes on worth twice as much, with the cube now belonging to them. Only they may offer the next double; or
- passes (also called dropping), and loses the game at the stake before the double.
A gammon or backgammon is multiplied by the cube: a gammon with the cube at 4 is worth 8 points.
The Crawford rule. In a match, the first time either player gets within one point of winning, the next game is played without the cube. After that one game, doubling is allowed again. It stops the trailing player from doubling at once when there is nothing left for them to lose. Our game applies it automatically.
Quick Answers to Common Questions
Can I move a checker backward?
No. Your checkers always move toward your own home board.
Do I have to hit a blot if I can?
No. Hitting is always your choice, as long as you use your dice by the rules above.
Can I split one die between two checkers?
No. Each die moves one checker the full number.
How many checkers can stand on one point?
As many as you like. Our board shows five and prints the total when there are more.
Ready to try it? Play backgammon now, read our backgammon strategy guide, or see the rule variations. If you enjoy keeping score on a board, try Cribbage too.