Backgammon is one of the oldest board games still played widely today, with origins stretching back approximately 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). Played on a distinctive board by two opposing players, it sits in a rare category alongside Go and Chess as a game that has endured millennia while retaining its fundamental appeal. Its longevity is no accident - backgammon offers a compelling combination of luck, skill, and strategy that keeps every game fresh, no matter how many times you've played before.
Backgammon Overview
Traditionally, the game is played on a table with a felt or leather surface. It involves a rectangular board divided into four sections, or quadrants. Each quadrant contains six narrow triangles called points, alternating in color. The board has 24 points in total. A central ridge, called the bar, runs down the middle of the board and separates the two home boards from the two outer boards. Each player has a home board and an outer board, and these are arranged on opposing sides. Players move their checkers in opposite directions around the board, working to bring all their pieces into their own home board before removing them from play entirely.
Each player begins with 15 checkers in a specific starting arrangement and two dice (usually with a dice cup for rolling). A separate six-sided piece marked with the numerals 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 - known as the doubling cube - is also part of the standard set. The doubling cube is used to raise the stakes of any given game and is one of the elements that make backgammon particularly engaging for competitive players.
The starting position for each player is as follows: two checkers on their 24-point, five checkers on their 13-point, three checkers on their 8-point, and five checkers on their 6-point. Points are numbered from each player's perspective, starting in their home board and counting outward. This mirrored arrangement creates an immediately interactive game, as both players are moving toward each other from the outset.
Object of the Game
The goal of backgammon is straightforward: be the first player to move all 15 of your checkers into your home board, and then remove them one by one from the board entirely. This removal process is called "bearing off." The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins the game.
While the objective itself is simple, the art of achieving it requires skill in navigating a dynamic and ever-changing board. Your opponent is working toward the same goal from the opposite direction, and the two players inevitably interact throughout the game. Checkers can be hit, sent back to the bar, blocked from advancing, and forced into defensive positions. Strategy plays just as large a role as the roll of the dice.
Scoring in backgammon depends on how the game ends. A standard win - where the losing player has already removed at least one checker - earns the winner one point. However, if the losing player has not yet removed any checkers, the winner earns a gammon, worth two points. In the most decisive outcome, called a backgammon, the loser has not removed any checkers and still has one or more pieces either on the bar or in the winner's home board. A backgammon is worth three points. The doubling cube multiplies these values when in play.
Even in single casual games played without wagering, understanding the win conditions is important. Knowing that a gammon or backgammon is possible encourages strategic decisions about whether to press on for a larger victory or to simply end the game as quickly as possible.
Movement of the Checkers
To decide who goes first, both players each roll a single die. The player who rolls the higher number goes first and plays the combination of both dice shown on that opening roll - not a fresh roll of their own. If both players roll the same number, they must roll again until someone rolls higher. Because of this rule, the first player can never start with doubles.
From the second turn onward, each player rolls two dice at the beginning of their turn. The numbers on the two dice each represent an independent move. For example, if a player rolls a 4 and a 2, they can move one checker four points forward and another checker two points forward. Alternatively, they can move a single checker the combined total of six points - but only if that checker's intermediate position (either four or two spaces from the start) lands on an open point.
A point is considered "open" if it is unoccupied, occupied by the player's own checkers, or occupied by only one of the opponent's checkers. A player cannot move a checker to a point where two or more opposing checkers are already sitting. Checkers always move forward - in the direction of the player's own home board - never backward.
Rolling doubles is a special situation. When a player rolls the same number on both dice, they get to use that number four times rather than twice. A roll of double-3, for instance, gives the player four moves of three points each, in any combination they choose.
Players are required to use both dice if it is legally possible to do so. If only one number can be played, that number must be used. If only one of the two numbers is playable and not the other, the player must use the higher number if possible. When neither number can legally be used, the player forfeits their turn. With doubles, the player must play as many of the four moves as legally possible.
Hitting and Entering
When a single checker occupies a point by itself, it is called a blot. A blot is vulnerable - if an opposing checker lands on that exact point, the blot is "hit." The hit checker is removed from the board and placed on the bar, the central divider running down the middle of the board. Being sent to the bar is a significant setback.
Any time a player has one or more checkers on the bar, entering those checkers back into the game becomes their top priority. They cannot make any other moves until all checkers on the bar are back in play. A checker re-enters from the bar by landing on an open point in the opponent's home board. The number rolled on the dice corresponds to the point the player may re-enter on - so a roll of 3 means the checker enters on the opponent's 3-point, if that point is open.
If a rolled number corresponds to a point in the opponent's home board that is blocked (occupied by two or more of the opponent's checkers), the player cannot use that number to re-enter. If neither number on the dice allows re-entry, the player forfeits their entire turn. If only one of the two numbers allows re-entry, the player enters one checker and must then use the remaining die to make another legal move, if possible.
Once all checkers are off the bar, any unused numbers on the dice that turn must still be played with other checkers. Hitting is both an offensive and defensive tool. Sending an opponent's checker to the bar disrupts their progress and forces them to re-enter before doing anything else, while giving you an opportunity to consolidate your position on the board.
Bearing Off
Bearing off is the final phase of backgammon and the key to winning. Once you have successfully moved all 15 of your checkers into your own home board (points 1 through 6), you may begin removing them from the board. The first player to remove all 15 checkers wins.
To bear off a checker, you roll a number that corresponds to the point on which that checker sits, then remove it. Roll a 5, for example, and you can remove a checker from the 5-point. If no checker is sitting on the point that matches your roll, you must make a legal move instead, using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no checkers on any higher-numbered point, you are permitted (and required) to remove a checker from the highest occupied point, regardless of what you rolled.
Players are not obligated to bear off if they can instead make another legal move within the home board. This is sometimes tactically useful, particularly when an opponent still has checkers that could hit yours if you leave a blot while bearing off.
If a checker is hit during the bearing-off process, it goes to the bar and must be re-entered into the opponent's home board, then moved back around to your own home board before bearing off can resume. No bearing off is permitted while any of your checkers are still outside your home board or sitting on the bar.
Doubling
Backgammon is traditionally played for an agreed stake per point, with each game beginning at a value of one point. At any point during the game - before rolling the dice on their turn - a player who believes they have a significant advantage may offer to double the stakes. This is done by turning the doubling cube to 2 and presenting it to the opponent.
The opponent then has two choices: accept the double or decline it. If they decline, they concede the game and pay one point to the doubling player. If they accept, the game continues with the stakes doubled, and the opponent now takes possession of the cube. This matters strategically: only the player who currently holds the cube may make the next doubling offer.
Further doublings in the same game are called redoubles. Each time a player accepts a redouble, they take ownership of the cube, and only they can offer the next redouble. There is no limit to how many times a game can be redoubled, though in practice, games rarely go very high. If a player refuses a redouble, they concede the game at whatever the current stakes are before the redouble.
The doubling cube was introduced to backgammon around the 1920s and is widely credited with reinvigorating interest in the game and significantly deepening its strategic dimension. Even players who do not play for money benefit from learning how the cube works, as it reflects deeper questions of position evaluation and risk management.
Gammons and Backgammons
When the game ends, how the losing player stands on the board determines the point value of the result. If the loser has already removed at least one of their checkers before the winner finishes bearing off all 15, the winner earns one point (or the current value of the doubling cube, if it has been used). This is a standard win, sometimes called a single game.
A gammon occurs when the winner bears off all 15 checkers before the loser has removed even one. In this case, the winner earns double the value of the doubling cube. Since the cube begins at a value of 1, a gammon in an undoubled game earns two points. If the cube was turned to 2 before the gammon, the winner would earn four points.
A backgammon is the rarest and most decisive outcome. It occurs when the winner bears off all 15 checkers while the loser has not removed any checkers and still has one or more pieces either on the bar or inside the winner's home board. A backgammon earns three times the value of the doubling cube. These high-value results make strategic positioning important throughout the game, as savvy players may choose to press on for a gammon or backgammon rather than simply ending the game.
Understanding these scoring outcomes shapes how both players approach the endgame. A player who is behind might accept a double and fight on if a gammon for their opponent seems unlikely. Conversely, a player who is ahead might hold off on doubling if they believe a gammon is within reach, as the gammon would be worth more points than doubling out the opponent.
Optional Rules
Several optional rules are in widespread use among backgammon players, particularly in social and money-game settings. These rules are generally not used in standard tournament match play, but they add variety and strategic interest to casual games. Players should always agree on which optional rules are in play before the game begins.
Automatic Doubles: If both players roll the same number on the very first roll of the game, the stakes are automatically doubled. The doubling cube is turned to show 2 and remains in the center of the board, meaning either player still has access to it for the first voluntary double. Most players agree to limit automatic doubles to one per game to prevent runaway stakes from the outset.
Beavers: When a player is offered a double, they have the standard option of accepting or declining. Under the beaver rule, a player who accepts the double may immediately redouble the stakes again, while retaining possession of the cube. This is called "beavering." The player who offered the original double can then accept the beaver (the game continues at four times the original stake) or decline and forfeit the current stake.
The Jacoby Rule: Named after legendary backgammon and bridge expert Oswald Jacoby, this rule states that gammons and backgammons only count for their double or triple values if at least one doubling offer has been made and accepted during the course of the game. If the game ends with no doubling activity, a gammon or backgammon is scored as a simple single-point win. This rule is designed to speed up play by discouraging a winning player from sitting on a strong position without doubling, hoping for a gammon.
The Crawford Rule: A standard feature of match play (not money games), the Crawford Rule states that when any player reaches a score just one point short of winning the match, the doubling cube is removed from play for exactly one game - the Crawford game. After that, the cube is back in play for all remaining games. This rule was devised to balance competitive matches and is named after the co-author of The Backgammon Book, John R. Crawford.
Irregularities
Backgammon has clear guidelines for situations when a roll or move is irregular or disputed. Knowing these rules helps keep the game fair and prevents misunderstandings, particularly when playing competitively.
Dice Rolling Rules: Both dice must be rolled together and must land flat on the surface of the right-hand side of the board from the perspective of the player rolling. Be sure to play with adequate lighting. A roll is invalid if either die lands outside the right-hand section of the board, lands on top of a checker, rests against the side of the board at an angle, or fails to lie flat in any other way. In the event of an invalid roll, the player must pick up both dice and roll again.
Completing a Turn: A player's turn is not complete until they have picked up their dice. Until that point, the play has not been finalized and may potentially be changed if a mistake is noticed. Once the dice are picked up, the move stands. If the opponent then rolls their own dice - or offers a double to begin their own turn - this signals that the previous play has been accepted as made.
Illegal Plays: If a player makes an incomplete or otherwise illegal move, the opponent has the option to either accept the play as it stands or require the player to make a legal move. A play is deemed accepted once the opponent picks up their dice to roll or offers a doubling cube.
Premature Rolling: If a player rolls their dice before the opponent has picked up their own dice to conclude their turn, the early roll is voided and must be rerolled. This rule is typically waived in situations where the move ahead is completely forced or when there are no longer any pieces in contact on the board, making the outcome straightforward.
Keep Playing, Keep Learning
Whether you are just learning the rules or looking to sharpen your skills, backgammon rewards study and practice in equal measure. The more you play, the more you will develop an intuitive feel for the board, the dice probabilities, and the right moment to offer or accept a double. This ancient game continues to captivate players around the world for good reason - there is always more to learn.
Additional Tips, Strategies, and Common Questions About Backgammon
Once you have a solid grasp of the core rules, exploring strategy and common questions about the game will help you become a more confident and capable player. The resources below cover a wide range of topics, from beginner tips to advanced strategy concepts.
-
History of Backgammon - A chronological look at backgammon's journey from ancient Mesopotamia through the Roman Empire, medieval Persia, and into the modern competitive game it is today, tracing how the rules and board evolved across cultures and centuries.
-
Dice, Divination and the Silk Road - An exploration of how dice-based games traveled across trade routes connecting East and West, and how the role of chance in early board games was often tied to ritual, prophecy, and fortune - long before strategy entered the picture.
-
Backgammon Player Rankings - A current listing of top-ranked backgammon players at the national and international level, useful for new players curious about the competitive landscape and who the leading figures in the game are today.
-
Backgammon Strategy - A practical, beginner-focused guide covering the most important early-game habits, from securing key points on both sides of the board to understanding when to hit and when to avoid it.
-
Beginner's Guide to Backgammon Strategy - A concise introduction to five core backgammon strategies - the running game, blitz, priming, holding game, and back game - with plain-language explanations of when to use each.
-
Basic Backgammon Strategy FAQ - A strategy-focused FAQ drawn from expert sources, addressing checker distribution, when to leave blots, anchoring tactics, and how to hit strategically.
-
Early Doublers & Cube Evolution - A look at the origins of the doubling cube and how its introduction in the 1920s transformed backgammon from a straightforward racing game into a deeply strategic contest of position, probability, and nerve.
-
Top Backgammon Tips - Expert tips compiled from decades of working with players at all levels, covering key concepts like controlling the golden point, building a six-prime, and managing risk vs. reward.
-
Backgammon Lesson: Run or Anchor? - A lesson from champion Bill Robertie analyzing early-game decision-making, specifically when to run a back checker versus establishing an anchor - a fundamental strategic choice new players face constantly.
-
Backgammon Back Game Strategy - A focused guide to the back game strategy, explaining when and how to use it, how to position anchors effectively, and what makes the difference between a successful back game and a catastrophic loss.
-
Match Play Rules - A concise, authoritative reference on the rules governing backgammon match play, including the Crawford Rule, scoring conventions, and cube usage in a competitive match context.
-
Backgammon Glossary - A comprehensive A-to-Z glossary of backgammon terminology, covering everything from basic terms like "blot" and "anchor" to advanced concepts like "effective pip count" and "market loser."