How to Play Backgammon: Rules for Beginners
Backgammon is a two-player race: each player has 15 checkers and moves them around the board by the roll of two dice, toward their own home board. Each die is a separate move, and doubles are played four times. You can't land on a point with two or more enemy checkers, but landing on a single one (a blot) hits it to the bar, and it must re-enter before its owner can move anything else. Once all your checkers are home, you bear them off; the first player to bear off all 15 wins.
The board and the setup
The board has 24 narrow triangles called points, in four quarters of six. The middle strip is the bar. Each player starts with 15 checkers: 2 on the 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point and 5 on the 6-point, counting from their own side. Your home board is points 1 to 6.
Setting up a real board? Our backgammon setup guide walks through it checker by checker.
Who starts
Each player rolls one die. The higher number starts, and plays both of the numbers rolled as their first move. On a tie, roll again.
Moving the checkers
- Each die is one move: a 5 and a 3 let you move one checker 5 points and another 3 points, or one checker 5 then 3 (8 in all).
- You move toward your home board: from the 24-point down to the 1-point.
- A checker may land on an empty point, a point you already own, or a point with one enemy checker. It can't land on a point with two or more enemy checkers.
- Doubles are played four times: double 4 means four moves of 4.
- You must use both dice if you can. If only one can be played, you must play the larger one if possible.
Blots, hitting and the bar
A single checker alone on a point is a blot. If your opponent lands on it, it's hit and goes onto the bar. On your next turn you must bring it back in before moving anything else: it enters in your opponent's home board, on the point that matches a die (a 3 enters on their 3-point, which is your 22-point). If both dice show blocked points, you lose your turn.
Bearing off
Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you may start bearing them off: a die removes a checker from the matching point (a 4 bears off from the 4-point). If there's no checker on that point, you must move a checker from a higher point. If there's none higher either, you may bear off from the highest point you have. If a checker of yours is hit while bearing off, it must come all the way home again before you continue.
Winning: single game, gammon and backgammon
| Result | When | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Single game | The loser has borne off at least one checker | 1 |
| Gammon | The loser hasn't 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 |
The doubling cube and matches
Most games are played as a match to a set number of points (on GameLake: 1, 3 or 5). Before rolling, a player may double the stakes with the doubling cube. The opponent either takes (the game is now worth twice as much, and they own the cube) or passes (and loses the game at the current value). When one player is one point from winning the match, the next game is the Crawford game: no doubling in that game.
Ready to play? Backgammon on GameLake lets you play Hops the frog at three levels, pass the phone to a friend, or play online with dice rolled by the server. Teach me suggests a move and explains why. Then try our backgammon strategy guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many checkers does each player have in backgammon?
Fifteen. They start on four points: 2 on your 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point and 5 on the 6-point.
What happens when you roll doubles in backgammon?
You play the number four times. Double 3 means four moves of 3, which you can split between checkers any way you like.
Can you land on a point with one enemy checker?
Yes. That checker is a blot: landing on it hits it, and it goes to the bar.
What if you can't move in backgammon?
If no legal move is possible, you lose your turn. If only one die can be played, you must play it (the larger one when possible).
What is a gammon in backgammon?
Winning before your opponent has borne off a single checker. It's worth 2 points, and a backgammon 3.
Is tavla the same as backgammon?
Yes. Tavla is the Turkish name, and the standard game is the same. In Turkish cafés the doubling cube is often left out.