How to play backgammon

We hope this article will help you to understand how to play backgammon, what the instructions to play backgammon are and how impressive the game of backgammon is.

Backgammon is played by two players on a board consisting of 24 narrow triangles called points. Triangles differ in color and are grouped into four quadrants of six triangles in each. The quadrants are referred to as a player's home board and outer board, and the opponent's home board and outer board. The home and outer boards are separated from each other by a ridge on the center of the board, which is also known as the bar.

Full backgammon package includes two pairs of dices, two dice cups, doubling cube, board and 30 checkers. Both players have their own pair of dice and a dice cup used for shaking, as well as 15 checkers. Checkers differ in color and each player has a different one. A doubling cube, with the numerals 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on its faces, is used to keep track of the current stake of the game.

Aim of the game is to move all your checkers into your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to do this wins the game.

To start the game, each player has to throw a single die. This determines which of the player will go first and the numbers that will be played. If equal numbers come up, then both players repeat the roll until they roll different numbers. The player with the higher number on a thrown dice moves his checkers according to the numbers showed on both dice. After the first roll, the players throw two dice.

The roll of the dice indicates how many points the player is to move his checkers. The checkers are always moved forward, to a lower-numbered point.

Point occupied by a checker of either color is called a blot. If an opposite player’s checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and put on the bar. Whenever player has one or more of the his checkers placed on the bar, his main aim is to put those checkers into the opposing home board, which is entered by moving it to the open point according to one of the numbers on the rolled dice. If none of the points is open, player loses his turn to move. In the case he is able to enter some, but not all of his checkers, he must enter as many as possible and then forfeit the rest of his turn. After the last of the player’s checkers has been entered, any unused numbers on the dice must be played, either by moving the checker that was just entered or use it with any other checker.

Finally, when player has moved all of his 15 checkers into the home board, he may start bearing off. Player bears off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which the checker resides, and then removing that checker from the board. In case there is no checker on the point indicated by the roll, player must make a legal move using a checker on a higher numbered point. If there are no checkers on higher-numbered points, the player is permitted (and required) to remove a checker from the highest point on which one of his checkers resides. A player is under no obligation to bear off if he can make an otherwise legal move. Player must have all of his active checkers in his home board in order to bear off. If checker was hit during the bear off process, the player must bring the checker back to his home board and continue bearing off. The one that finishes bearing off first – wins. That’s how the backgammon is played.