How to play Backgammon

What is Backgammon?

Backgammon is a two-player dice game said to go back to boards from Mesopotamia five thousand years ago. It reached Japan in the Nara period as ban-sugoroku, and a board survives in the Shōsōin treasure house. On a board of twenty-four points, White and Black move in opposite directions, bringing fifteen checkers into their own home board (the six points at the bottom right). Once all are home, they are borne off one by one, and the first to bear off all fifteen wins. The luck of the dice meets the judgement of which checker to move, so every game takes a different shape.

Playing Backgammon at Kirakuken

• By day a zelkova ban-sugoroku board with black and white stones; by night a leather board with ivory and ebony
• Click a checker to mark where the dice let it go. When the dice are used, press “Done”
• A gammon or backgammon counts double or triple on the table score too
• Doubling cube in the table “Details”. Three CPU strengths

Rules of Backgammon

These rules always apply at our tables.

Start

each player rolls one die; the higher roll goes first and plays the two numbers rolled (roll again on a tie). After that, players take turns rolling two dice.

Moving

move checkers forward by each number rolled. One checker may use both numbers. A double is played four times.

Landing

you cannot land on a point held by two or more of your opponent's checkers. A point with two or more of your own is safe from them.

Hitting

landing on a point with a single opposing checker (a blot) hits it and sends it to the bar in the middle. A player with a checker on the bar must bring it back in through the opponent's home board before moving anything else.

Use every number you can

if both numbers can be played, you must play both. If only one can, play the larger. If none can, the turn passes.

Bearing off

once all fifteen checkers are in your home board, a roll bears off a checker from the matching point. If no checker sits on a higher point, a larger number may bear off your rearmost checker.

Winning

the first to bear off all fifteen 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, a backgammon (3 points).

Optional rules

You choose these when opening a table.

Doubling cube

can be turned on in the table “Details”. Before rolling on your turn you may offer to double; your opponent either accepts (the stake doubles and only they may double next) or declines and loses at the current stake. The cube goes up to 64.

Rules not used

beavers (redoubling at once), the Jacoby rule (no gammons without a double) and the Crawford rule (a match-play rule).

FAQ

How many players can play Backgammon?

2 players. If you're short of players, the host can add CPU players, so you can start a table on your own.

What age is Backgammon suitable for?

We suggest 8+. There's no age check, so treat it as a guide.

Does it cost anything?

Nothing at all. No account and no app to install: enter a name and you're straight in.

How long does a game take?

About 10-20 min.

Can I play on a smartphone?

Yes. It runs in the browser, so the same URL opens on iPhone and Android alike.

How do I invite friends?

Open a table and press "Invite link" to get its URL. Anyone you send it to comes straight to your table.