These backgammon rules take you from an empty board to your first finished game: how to set up the checkers, how to move with the dice, what happens when you land on a lone checker, and how to bear off to win. Backgammon is one of the oldest board games still played, a race between two players with a healthy mix of luck and skill. The dice decide how far you move, but your choices decide who wins over a series of games. Learn the setup once and you can play anywhere. Prefer something simpler first? Try checkers or ludo.
Quick rules
- Each player has 15 checkers and moves them around the board toward their own home board, in opposite directions.
- Roll two dice and move one checker by each number, or one checker by both.
- Doubles are played four times.
- You cannot land on a point holding two or more opposing checkers.
- Landing on a single opposing checker (a blot) hits it and sends it to the bar.
- Checkers on the bar must re-enter in the opponent's home board before you can move anything else.
- Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, start bearing them off. First to bear off all 15 wins.
What you need
- A backgammon board with 24 narrow triangles called points, in four quarters of six.
- 15 checkers for each player in two colors.
- Two dice per player (or one shared pair) and a dice cup.
- A doubling cube marked 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64, used when playing for points.
Backgammon setup
Number the points from your side: your home board is points 1 to 6, starting with point 1 in the corner on your right if your home board is on your right. Your outer board is points 7 to 12, and the opponent's side runs 13 to 24. The bar is the raised ridge down the middle. Your opponent's setup is the mirror image of yours.
| Point (from your side) | Your checkers | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| 24-point | 2 | Opponent's home board, far right corner as you look at the board (opposite your 1-point) |
| 13-point (midpoint) | 5 | Opponent's outer board, far left corner as you look at the board (opposite your 12-point) |
| 8-point | 3 | Your outer board, the second point to the left of the bar |
| 6-point | 5 | Your home board, next to the bar |
That totals 15 checkers. You move from your 24-point toward your 1-point; your opponent moves the opposite way around.
How to play
Starting the game
- Each player rolls one die. The higher number goes first and moves using both dice as rolled. If the dice tie, roll again.
- After that, players take turns rolling both of their own dice.
Moving checkers
- Each die is a separate move. With a 5 and a 3, move one checker 5 points and another 3 points, or one checker 5 then 3 (each stop must be open).
- A point is open if it is empty, holds your own checkers, or holds exactly one opposing checker.
- Doubles count twice: a roll of 4 and 4 lets you move four times by 4.
- You must use both numbers if you legally can. If only one can be played, play it. If either could be played but not both, play the larger one. If no move is possible, you lose the turn.
Hitting and the bar
- A single checker alone on a point is a blot. Landing on an opposing blot hits it and puts it on the bar.
- A player with a checker on the bar must bring it back in before making any other move. It enters on the opponent's home board, on the point matching a number rolled (a 3 enters on the opponent's 3-point from their side, which is your 22-point).
- If the entry points for both dice are blocked, the turn is lost.
Bearing off
- When all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you may start removing them.
- Roll and remove a checker from the point matching each number. A 4 removes a checker from your 4-point.
- You may instead move a checker within your home board.
- If you roll a number higher than your highest occupied point, remove a checker from the highest point.
- If one of your checkers is hit while bearing off, you must bring it all the way back home before bearing off again.
Scoring
A single game is worth points based on how badly the loser was beaten, multiplied by the doubling cube.
| Result | What it means | 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 |
The doubling cube: at the start of any of your turns, before rolling, you may offer to double the stakes. Your opponent either accepts, takes the cube and becomes the only player who can offer the next double, or declines and loses the game at the current value.
How to win
Bear off all 15 checkers first. In a match, players agree a target such as 5 or 7 points and play games until one player reaches it.
Variations
- Automatic doubles: if the opening rolls tie, the cube is turned to 2. Agree this before playing.
- Beavers: a player who is doubled may immediately redouble while keeping the cube.
- Crawford rule: in match play, when a player is one point from winning, no doubling is allowed for one game.
- Acey-deucey and other regional versions: all checkers start off the board and enter, with special rewards for rolling 1 and 2.
Tips and strategy
- Make points. Two checkers on a point are safe and block your opponent. The 5-point and 7-point are especially valuable.
- Limit blots. Leave single checkers where your opponent has few rolls to hit them.
- Build a prime. Six blocked points in a row cannot be jumped, trapping checkers behind.
- Know the race. Count your pips (total distance to bear off). If you are well ahead, play safely.
- Classic openings: roll 3 and 1, make your 5-point (8/5, 6/5); roll 6 and 1, make your 7-point (13/7, 8/7).
Common mistakes
- Setting up the board facing the wrong way. Both home boards should be on the same side, opposite each other.
- Moving other checkers while one of yours is still on the bar.
- Starting to bear off before all 15 checkers are home.
- Playing only one die when both could be used.
Want more two-player games? See chess, mancala and our full list of board games.
Questions people ask
How do you set up a backgammon board?
Each player places 2 checkers on their 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point and 5 on the 6-point. The two players' setups mirror each other, with both home boards on the same side of the table.
How do you play backgammon?
Players roll two dice and move their 15 checkers around the board in opposite directions toward their own home board. You can hit single opposing checkers and send them to the bar. Once all your checkers are home, you bear them off, and the first player to remove all 15 wins.
What happens when you roll doubles in backgammon?
You play the number four times instead of twice. A roll of double 6 lets you move a total of 24 points, split among one to four checkers.
What are gammons and backgammons?
A gammon is a win where the loser has not borne off any checkers, worth 2 points. A backgammon is a win where the loser has borne off none and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, worth 3 points.
What are the basic backgammon rules for moving?
Each die is a separate move and you must use both if you can. You may land on empty points, your own points or a point with one opposing checker, but not on a point with two or more opposing checkers.