About Backgammon
Backgammon has roots stretching back thousands of years to ancient Mesopotamia, and it remains one of the finest blends of luck and skill in board gaming. Each side controls fifteen checkers that travel across twenty-four triangular points according to a roll of two dice. Get all of yours home and off the board first, and the game is yours.
The dice add drama, but good decisions win out over time. Every roll can be played several ways, and choosing between racing ahead, building blocking points, or hitting an exposed checker is where the real game lives. It suits players who enjoy probability and long-term planning, and matches move at a lively pace. Once you've learned the basic moves, you'll start to see why people have been hooked on it for millennia.
How to play Backgammon
- Roll two dice and move your checkers forward by the number on each die; doubles are played four times.
- Land on any point that's empty, holds your own checkers, or holds a single opposing checker, which you hit and send to the bar.
- Any checker on the bar must re-enter the board before you can move other checkers.
- Once all fifteen of your checkers are in your home board, start bearing them off. The first player to bear off all fifteen wins.
Backgammon controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Mouse / Tap a checker | Select the checker you want to move |
| Mouse / Tap a point | Move the selected checker there |
Tips and tricks
- Avoid leaving single checkers (blots) where your opponent can easily hit them.
- Build consecutive made points, each with two or more checkers, to form a blockade that traps your opponent's back checkers.
- Use opening rolls like 3-1 and 6-1 to make valuable points in or near your home board.
- If you're well ahead in the race, stop engaging and focus on bringing your checkers home safely.
