Rules of Backgammon

The Backgammon is a board game for two players, and it's played with checkers and dice on a 24-point board. Originated in the England of the seventeenth century, it is a game that combines strategy and luck, since, with each roll of the dice, players must choose between several options to move their checkers and anticipate possible moves of the opponent. 

Aim of the game

The objective of the game is to move the fifteen checkers around the board and to be the first to free them (bear them off), before the opponent can do the same. The checkers begin to be beard off once they are all in our lower right quadrant, after having travelled through the board to the left in the top part and to the right in the bottom part.

Game board and distribution of the checkers

Each side of the board has a row of 12 triangles, arranged in alternating colours and organised into four quadrants of six triangles each. These quadrants are divided into outdoor and indoor for each player, and are separated by a bar. The triangles form the fields or points, which are imaginatively connected to each other forming a continuous horseshoe-shaped track. The points are numbered from 1 to 24, and the checkers are always moved from the points with the highest numbers to the lowest. The two players move their checkers in opposite directions, so point 1 for one player is point 24 for the other.

Each player starts with two checkers at their point 24, three checkers at their point 8, five checkers at their point 6 and another five checkers at their point 13. The checkers of each player are of a different colour, one player plays with dark checkers and the other with white checkers.

Each player has their own pair of dice, in addition to a shared doubling cube with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64.

Number of players

Backgammon is a board game for two players.

Start and flow of the game

A game of Backgammon is divided into two phases: the contact phase, when the players' most backward checkers can still be hit, and the racing phase, when the checkers can no longer be hit and their withdrawal depends only on the value of the dice.

To start the game, each player rolls the dice, and the one with the highest score moves first. Then the player who has the turn rolls the dice and moves their checkers according to the following rules:

• If the value of the dice are "A" and "B", the player can advance one checker "A" positions, and another checker (which may be the same) "B" positions. To move a tile "A" +"B" positions, the intermediate position corresponding to "A" must not be blocked, it means, the moves are considered to be two separated moves and the same rules apply to each move.
• It is not allowed to move a checker to a blocked position, that is, on a field where there are already two or more opponent's checkers. If there is only one opponent checker on the field, it is hit by the arriving one and placed on the bar.
• The opponent whose checker has been hit must re-enter it on the board on the first possible occasion. The entry position corresponds to the value of one of the dice and, if it is not possible (because the position is blocked), the player loses their turn.

When the opponent hits one of your checkers, the goal is to reintegrate it into the board, and you will only be able to enter points that are opened, it means, unoccupied. That is, if a 6 and a 4 come out when rolling the dice, you can only enter those specific points, otherwise, your turn will be lost. If there are no empty fields on the board, the opponent is obliged to free a field, otherwise the other player would not be able to do any move.

Once all your checkers are in the lower right quadrant, they are beard off according to the dice. However, it is not necessary to obtain the exact number: a checker in final position can be freed with any result on the dice.

The player who frees all his checkers first, wins the game and gets a point.

Doubling cube

The doubling cube in Backgammon is used to speed up the pace of the games and add a strategic dimension. This cube, is not thrown, but it acts as a marker with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 to indicate the value of the current bet. At the beginning of the game, the cube is placed in the centre of the bar. During their turn any player can offer to double the bet, and the opponent must decide whether to accept the increase or abandon the game. If they accept, the cube is placed on the side of the player who has accepted, signalling that only that player can propose a new double. There is no limit on the number of possible doubles, which allows the bet to grow exponentially.

Scoring

The first player to bear off all their fifteen checkers wins the game. The amount of points gained in Backgammon depends on the type of victory:

• If a player bears off all their checkers while the opponent has freed at least one, a simple victory is obtained, which is worth 1 point.
• If the player bears off all their checkers before the opponent has freed even one, a gammon or double win is obtained, which is worth 2 points.
• Finally, a Backgammon or triple win occurs when the losing player has not freed any checkers and still has one or more checkers on the winner's bar or inner board. This victory is worth 3 points.

Backgammon Strategies

Playing on your board: This strategy focuses on maximizing the number of points on your board to make it difficult for your opponent to get out. Doing this complicates their game and, if you manage to attack one of their checkers, it will be more difficult for them to return them to the game.

Combination: It consists of building your board in such a manner that you can escape while blocking the corridors of the opponent's inner board.

Risky game: It involves taking risks by exposing blots (a point occupied by a single checker of either colour) with the aim of creating advantageous positions or tempting the opponent to attack you. Unlike the safe game, this strategy can lead to a victory, but it also carries the risk of losing.

Safe risk: It is based on protecting the blots by exposing others that attract the opponent.

Escape: It focuses on removing your back checkers as quickly as possible, which are the two checkers located at point 1. The dice combinations that allow this move are 6-5 and 6-6. Other combinations can leave your checkers exposed.

Rearguard game: It consists of creating multiple anchors on the opponent's inner board to prevent him from rescuing his checkers. This forces the opponent to expose his checkers to attacks and makes it difficult for them to play.

Safe game: It is focused on minimizing the number of blots and building as many spikes as possible on the board. This strategy seeks to avoid attacks from the opponent, although it does not always create opportunities to win the game. Long and exhausting games can be influenced by luck, and a high double throw from the opponent could allow him to escape our strategy.

Backgammon offers you a perfect combination of strategy and luck, guaranteeing hours of fun. Don't wait any longer to start your next game!