Backgammon

How to Play Backgammon

Backgammon is a race. You (white) move your 15 checkers from point 24 toward point 1, while your opponent moves the opposite way. Each turn you roll two dice and move checkers that many points - a roll of doubles gives you four moves. You must use both dice if legally possible. A point holding two or more enemy checkers is blocked; a point holding exactly one is a blot, and landing on it sends that checker to the bar, where it must re-enter in your home board before its owner may do anything else.

Once all 15 of your checkers reach your home board (points 1-6), you may bear them off using exact rolls, or higher rolls when no checker sits on a higher point. First player to bear off all 15 wins - and if the loser hasn't borne off a single checker, that's a gammon. On PlayVersusAI there is no doubling cube: every game is played to the finish against the AI or a friend online.

Strategy Tips

• Count pips before deciding - the pip count (shown under each player) tells you who's ahead in the race. Ahead? Simplify and run. Behind? Hold anchors and look for a hit.
• Make points, don't stack them - two checkers make a point safe; five on one point waste material. Spread pairs across key points, especially your 5-point.
• The 5-point is golden - making your 5-point (and the opponent's 5-point as an anchor) is worth more than almost any other early play.
• Hit when it hurts - sending a checker to the bar costs your opponent the full length of the board, but only hit when you won't leave easy return shots.
• Build primes - four or more consecutive made points form a wall that trapped checkers cannot jump. A full six-prime is a near-certain win.
• Minimize shots, not blots - a blot 12 points away is far safer than one 4 points away. Count how many dice rolls can actually hit you before you worry.