Backgammon

One of the oldest board games, now online: roll two dice, move your checkers around the board and be the first to bear all fifteen off. Play a single game or a match against the computer.

How to play Backgammon

• You play the red checkers and move them counter-clockwise, from the top-left toward your home board in the bottom-right (points 1–6). The computer moves the other way.
• To start, each side rolls one die. The higher die moves first, using both dice as its roll. Ties are rolled again.
• Each die is a separate move: move one checker that many points, or one checker twice. A double lets you move that number four times.
• You may land on an empty point, your own point, or a point with exactly one opposing checker (a blot). Landing on a blot hits it and sends it to the bar. Points with two or more opposing checkers are blocked.
• A checker on the bar must re-enter in the opponent's home board before you can make any other move. If the entry points are blocked, your turn is lost.
• You must use both dice if any sequence allows it (all four for doubles). If only one die can be played, you must play the larger one when possible.
• Once all fifteen of your checkers are in your home board you may bear off. A die can remove a checker from the matching point, or from your highest point if no checker sits higher than the number rolled.
• The first to bear off all checkers wins 1 point. If the loser has borne off none, it is a gammon (2 points); if the loser also still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, it is a backgammon (3 points).
• With the cube on, before rolling you may offer to double the points the game is worth. The other side either accepts (and now owns the cube, so only they can double next) or declines and gives up the game at the current value. In a match, no doubling is allowed in the one game right after a player first reaches one point short of the target.

Controls

• Press Roll to throw the dice.
• Tap a highlighted checker, then tap a highlighted point to move it — or drag the checker there. To bear off, tap or drop on the tray at the right.
• Undo takes back moves made this turn; Done ends your turn once every playable die is used.
• The status line shows the match score and both pip counts (total points each side still has to travel).

Tips

• Making points in your home board — especially your 5-point — makes it hard for hit checkers to come back in.
• Leaving a single checker within six points of an opposing checker gives your opponent an easy shot. Count the shots before you leave a blot.
• When the race is all that is left, compare pip counts: double when you are clearly ahead, and decline when you are far behind.

FAQ

How do you set up a backgammon board?

Each side has 15 checkers: two on its 24-point (the far corner of the opponent’s home board), five on its 13-point (the midpoint), three on its 8-point and five on its 6-point. The other side mirrors that layout. Our board sets itself up for every new game.

How do you play backgammon?

Roll two dice and move your checkers toward your home board by the numbers shown, hitting lone opposing checkers along the way. Once all fifteen of your checkers are home, start bearing them off. The first player to bear off every checker wins.

Does the computer use a fixed strategy?

It considers every legal way to play its roll and scores the results by pip count, blots at risk, points made, primes, anchors and hits. Easy mode adds randomness to its choices.

Are my games saved?

Yes. The current match is saved in your browser after every move, so you can close the page and continue later.

What is the pip count?

The total number of points all your checkers still need to move to bear off. Both sides start at 167.