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How to Play Backgammon
Object of Backgammon
Game Instruments
Board Setting
Game Moves
Hits and Enters
Bearing Off the Checkers
Doubling the Wagers
Winning by Points, Gammon, and Backgammon
Optional Backgammon Rules
Backgammon is a popular board game for two with ancient origins around the world. The game can be played simply or strategically, and therefore suitable both for beginners and experienced players.
Object of Backgammon
The object of the game is to carry all your checkers to your home board and them have them removed off the board before your opponent.
Game Instruments
Backgammon is played using the following instruments:
A backgammon board - The backgammon board is vertically divided to two boards and a bar in the middle marks the separation between the home board and the outer board.
On the board are drawn 24 cones called points: 12 dark ones and 12 light, alternately. These points are divided to four groups of six, called quarters or quadrants. At each side of the board (top and bottom) the points are numbered from 1 to 12. Each player owns the dozen that is closer to him. Opposite points has the same number - a player's point #1 is located in front of the opponent's point #1.
Point number 1 to point 6 mark the Home Board and point 7 to point 12 are the Outer Board.
30 Checkers - (also called stones). One player gets 15 dark checkers (usually black or dark red) and the other player gets 15 light (usually white) checkers.
Backgammon Dice - Each player gets a pair of dice used to determine moves, and another special die (called the doubling dice) marked with 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 used to double the bets.
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Board Setting
First each player selects checker color (dark or light).
The checkers are set on the backgammon board according to the following arrangement:
5 checkers in your point 6
3 checkers in your point 8
2 checkers in your opponent's point 1.
5 checkers in your opponent's point 12.
The object of the game is to carry the checkers from their initial position to the player's home board, therefore one player moves his checkers clockwise, while the other moves his checkers counterclockwise (in the opposite direction to the opponent's checkers).
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Game Moves
In the beginning of a backgammon game both players roll one of their dice to determine which one starts first. The player who rolled a higher number wins.
This player opens by making his move according to the two numbers that were rolled (the number he rolled and the number his opponent rolled). From here on the players take turns, each rolling his own dice.
Game moves are made according to the numbers rolled, from and to points (the numbered cones drawn on the board), always towards point 1. For example if the player rolled 4 he can move a checker from point 12 to point 8 (without counting the point from where the checker starts).
A checker can only be moved to an open point - a point that is not taken by 2 or more checkers of the opponent.
If a player rolls two different numbers (e.g. 6 and 2, as oppose to 3 and 3) he may choose to make two separate moves, or make one long move. For example, if you rolled 6 and 2, you can either move one checker 6 points and then move a different checker 2 points, or you can move one checker 8 points, as long as the connecting point (sixth or second point in this case) is also open.
When a player rolls two equal numbers, it's called a double, and the moves in this turn are duplicated. For example, if you roll two 3s you can make four moves of 3, any way you want.
The player must make use of the numbers he rolled (regular or double) as much as he can. But if the points aren't open and the player is blocked, the following rules apply:
- When only one number can be used, the player must make this move.
- When either one of the two numbers rolled can be used, but not both numbers, the player must make a move using the higher number.
- When the player can't use either one of the two numbers, the turn is lost.
- When a player rolled a double but can't use all 4 numbers, he must make his moves using as many numbers as he can.
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Hits and Enters
A checker can't be moved to a point that already occupies 2 or more checkers of the opponent, but it can be moved to a point that contains a single checker of the opponenet. Therefore, a single checker on one point (called a blot) is a strategic weakness, since it can be hit.
Hit - A hit occurs when a player's checker lands on his opponent's blot (single checker). The checker that was hit is taken off the board and placed on the bar (the division between the home board and the outer board).
Enter - To enter a checker is to bring it back from the bar to the home board of the opponent (points 1 to 6). Enters must be achieved as soon as possible, by rolling a number that will allow you to move this checker to an open point on your opponent's home board, and bring back your checker to the board.
When trying to enter a checker that was hit, the following rules apply:
- If you rolled numbers of points that are not open you lose your turn.
- If all the points on the opponent's home board aren't open, you are blocked and you lose all your turns until at least one of the points opens up.
- If you already have several checkers on the bar, you must bring back as many as you can in one turn.
When the player manages to bring back all the checkers he had on the bar he must make a move according to the number he rolled and did not use yet with any checker he wants.
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Bearing Off the Checkers
Only when all 15 checkers are gathered in the home board the player can start bearing them off the board. To bear off a checker and remove it from the board the player must roll the number of the point that occupies it. For example, when rolling 2 and 5 the player my bear off one checker from point 2 and one checker from point 5.
If the player rolled numbers of points without checkers in them, he must make a regular move with a checker from a higher point (e.g. from point 4 to 3). If there are no checkers on a higher point he must remove a checker from his highest occupied point.
A player may choose not to bear off a checker when he can make a different move that doesn't goes against the rules.
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Doubling the Wagers
In the course of the game each player may use the doubling die (marked with 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64) to raise the original bet. To double the player announces his intention, takes the doubling die and places it on the opponent's side of the bar with the number 2 on top.
The opponent may accept the doubling and go on with the game playing, or refuse and lose the game.
If the opponent agrees to double the bet, the doubling die stays on his side of the bar. If he wants to, he'll be able to make a doubling offer too. In this case he places the die back on the player's side of the bar with the number 4 on top. Doubling can go on until 64, and usually stays at 8 or 16. The value of the doubling die determines the scale of the win.
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Winning by Points, Gammon, and Backgammon
The first player to bear off all of his 15 checkers wins.
Winning by Points - If the losing player has at least one checker in his home board at the end of the game, the winner wins by one point. The losing player loses only the value shown on the doubling die.
Winning by Gammon - If the losing player does not have any checkers in his home board, it's a Gammon win and the winner gets two points. The losing player loses twice the value of the doubling die.
Winning by Backgammon - If the losing player does not have any checkers in his home board and one of his checkers is in the opponent's home board or sitting on the bar, he loses by Backgammon. The winner gets 3 points. The losing player loses three times the value of the doubling die.
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Optional Backgammon Rules
There are several optional but popular rules that can be used in play:
Beavers - Applies to doubling: If your opponent offered a double, you can redouble (called beaver) on the spot and still keep the doubling die. Your opponent can accept with a regular double, or refuse as normal.
Automatic Doubles - If the first roll of the dice is a double the players can agree to double the wager. The doubling die is set on 2 and stays in the middle of the bar.
The Jacoby Rule - If neither player offered to double during the game Gammon wins and Backgammon wins count as a single game only.
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