Play Backgammon for free. The software is downloadable and has a chat feature included when playing against other players. Tournaments can also be played for Fun. To start playing simply download and open a new table or join a table.
Backgammon Tournaments
From Peoria to Perth - for the glory, for the ranking or for the money - you can play in an offline backgammon tournament any day of the week, almost anywhere in the world.
If you've never played in a backgammon tournament before, a brief introduction might make you more at ease. First and foremost, it's supposed to be fun. Relax. If you've never played backgammon before and are attending your first tournament out of curiosity, most folks who play the game are more than willing to share their love of it with a "newbie." If, on the other hand, you have some experience, there's a lot you already know. There are, however, some terms and etiquette that, once understood, will help make your first backgammon tournament be the first of many.
When you arrive at a tournament, seek out the registration table - that's where the tournament organizers/directors are. Introduce yourself. Let them know if this is your first tournament visit. The tournament directors can give you local variations and particular procedures for their tournament. In addition, be certain to familiarize yourself with that tournament's rules - which should be publicly posted. If you've played a single game of backgammon, you know most of them.
Before you sign up to play, check out in what division you feel comfortable playing. There are usually three divisions, depending upon experience and skill levels.
Novice/Beginners Division - if you're just learning, new to tournament play or playing, again, after a long time away; or, if you enjoy the more social side of backgammon, while honing your competitive skills -- this is your division
Intermediate Division - if you've attained a level of competence and confidence with the essentials of the game - you're in the right competitive category.
Open/Championship Division - if you have more comprehensive knowledge of the concepts and subtleties of the game and want to challenge yourself - this division will give you your ultimate play.
Each division has an entry fee that is stepped in terms of lower/Beginners, mid/Intermediate and higher/Open for fee amount.
The players' fees in the various divisions are collected, making the prize pool.
The amount of the prizes and the number of winners depends on the number of registrants in each division.
Once you've decided which division best suits you, register for that tournament, pay your appropriate entry fee and join others for a warm-up game while you wait for the draw to be posted.
All names registered for a division are drawn at random and put onto a draw sheet. Your location on the draw sheet determines your first opponent; and, the tournament directors will, then, announce the pairings.
You're ready to play your first tournament match. This will, usually, be a series of games, with each game in the match being worth a minimum of one point. Each match is scored by recording the individual games within that match. For example, in a five-point match, the first player who wins five or more points wins that match. Accumulate enough points and you win your first tournament match.
Once that match is over, you and your opponent report the results to the tournament director. Those results are posted on the draw sheet. The winning players from each pairing start the next round of matches. The play continues until all divisions have finished their matches.
Players at a tournament are experienced and skilled. There is no place better to hone your skills and ask your questions than at an offline backgammon tournament. Watch the better players, see what they do and why they did it. Someday someone will be watching and asking you the same things.
