How to play backgammon

Have you ever found yourself sitting across the table from a friend or family member, staring at an unfamiliar board game, and wondering how to play? Perhaps you’ve heard that backgammon is a classic, strategic game, but the rules seem daunting. Today, we’re breaking down the essentials of backgammon–its rules, strategies, and nuances–so you can dive into this engaging game and impress your opponent with your newfound knowledge. Whether it’s a rainy afternoon or a friendly game night, understanding how to play backgammon can add excitement to your gatherings.

To play backgammon, you need a backgammon board, two players, and 15 checkers for each player. Players take turns rolling two dice, moving their checkers based on the numbers rolled (each die represents a separate move). The objective is to move all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off (remove them from the board) before your opponent does.

To elaborate, backgammon is played on a board with 24 narrow triangles called points, which are numbered from 1 to 24. Each player starts with 15 checkers arranged on their respective home board. The players take turns rolling two six-sided dice, and the number on each die represents how many spaces a player can move their checkers. Players can move one checker the total of both dice individually or split that count among two different checkers.

When moving, players must land on open points, which are either empty, occupied by the player’s own checker, or occupied by just one of the opponent’s checkers (known as a “blot,” which can be hit). If you land on your opponent’s blot, they must place it on the bar, and it will have to re-enter the game from the opponent’s starting position. Once all your checkers are in your home board (the last six points on the board), you can start removing them–a process known as bearing off. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game. As you become more familiar with the rules and strategies, you’ll be ready to enjoy countless games of backgammon with friends and family.