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.
Rules of the Game
Equipment
backgammon board
two players
thirty "checkers"/"pieces"/"men" - 15 each of two different colors
a pair of regular dice - numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (sometimes two pair of dice are used, for convenience)
a dice cup - to shake and cast the dice (again, sometimes two dice cups are used)
a doubling cube - a six-sided die - numbered 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 - used to track the units at stake in the game; and, to indicate the player who doubled last
The board layout is divided down the center by a partition, the bar. There is an outer and inner/home board/table. The side nearest you is your outer and home board. The side furthest away is your opponent's outer and home boards.
The object of backgammon is for each player to bring their men into their home board; and, then to bear off their men from the board. The first player to bear off all their men wins that game.
To start the game, each player casts one die. The player with the higher number makes the first move. Some rules indicate using only one die; some rules indicate using the two numbers cast by a player and their opponent. If both players roll the same number, each rolls again to determine who moves first. This is repeated until each player rolls a different number. In some games, the stake is automatically doubled every time the players cast the same number - others limit the automatic double to one. There is no automatic double in tournament play.
The custom is to cast the dice in the player's right-hand board. The dice are "cocked" if one die crosses the bar onto the other board; or, is cast off the board; or, does not rest completely flat; or, rests on one of the pieces. The entire throw using both dice must be taken, again.
At the start of play, the doubling cube rests on the bar, between the two players or on the side of the board. At any point during a game, a player who thinks they are ahead may, when it is their turn to play and before they cast the dice, can turn the cube to 2 and double the stakes of that game. Their opponent can decline the double, forfeiting the game and loosing one stake. Or, they can accept the double, the game continues with the stake twice as high. The player who accepts the double "owns" the cube. They have the option to re-double at any time during the remainder of the game. However, the original doubler may not. If, later in the game, they exercise this option, their opponent is faced with the same choice. They may decline the re-double and lose 2 stakes; or accept and play for 4. They now "own the cube. A player can double when they are on the bar. A gammon doubles or backgammon triples the stake on the cube.
Each player's turn is the roll of two dice. They then move one or more pieces according to the numbers cast. For example, if the roll is 4-2, the player may move one piece six spaces or one piece four spaces and a different piece two spaces (the bar does not count as a space). Moving one piece the total shown on the two dice, there are two moves actually being made, as each move is made according to the number shown on one die.
If the same number appears on both dice, doublets, the player who cast is entitled to four moves, not two. For example, if they roll 5-5, they can move up to four pieces; but, each move can only be five spaces.
The players cast and play alternately throughout the game; with the exception of when a player cannot make a legal move when they, therefore, forfeit their turn.
A player makes a point by having two or more of their pieces on that point - "owning" it. Their opponent cannot come to rest on nor touch down on that point when taking the combined total of their dice with one man.
When a player has made six consecutive points, they have completed a prime. An opponent's piece caught behind a prime cannot move past - because a piece cannot be moved more than six spaces at a time - the highest number on a die.
A single piece on a point is a blot. If a player moves a piece onto an opponent's blot or touches down on it while moving the combined total of their cast, the blot is hit, the piece is moved from the board and put on the bar. A piece that has been hit must return to play in the opponent's home board. The player may not make any other move until they have brought the piece on the bar back into play. To re-enter, the piece is put on a point that is equal to the number on one of the dice cast, if that point is not "owned" by their opponent.
A player who makes all six points on their home board has a "closed board." If their opponent has any pieces on the bar, they cannot re-enter since there is no vacant point in their opponent's home board. Until a point is opened up on that home board, the player forfeits their roll. He doesn't, however, lose his turn; and, can double his opponent prior to any of their opponent's rolls - presuming the cube is centered or on their side.
Each player is required to make their complete move if there is any way to do so. If they can take either of the numbers but not both, they must take the higher number first, the lower number if that's not possible.
A player can begin to bear off when they have brought all their men into their home board. Once a piece is borne off they are not returned to play. If there are pieces on the bar or outside a player's home board, they cannot bear of pieces. For example, if a player is bearing off and leaves a blot that is hit by their opponent, sending that piece to the bar; that piece must return to play on the opponent's home board, be brought around into the player's home board before they can return to bearing off pieces, again.
To bear off, remove pieces from the points corresponding to the numbers of the dice that are cast. A player is not required to remove their piece, however. They may move a piece inside their home board the number of space equal to the number on the die.
If a number higher than a player's highest point on which they have a piece is rolled, that number can apply to their highest occupied point. For example, if they roll 5-2 and their 5-point is already cleared but they have a piece on the 4-point, they can use their 5 to bear off a piece from their 4-point.
When a player bears off all 15 of their pieces before their opponent bears off a single piece, that player wins a gammon, or double game.
When a players bears off all 15 of their pieces before their opponent bears off a single piece and that opponent has one or more pieces in the player's home board or on the bar, that player wins a backgammon, or a triple game.
There are variants to the basic rules of backgammon. The Crawford rule is universally used in match play. For example, if your opponent is ahead of you and they get to _____points, you are not allowed to use the doubling cube in the next game, only. Regular play resumes thereafter.
Another, the Jacoby rule, is used in money games - stating that a gammon or backgammon may not be scored as such unless the cube has been passed and accepted. The purpose is to speed up play by ending long, undoubled games. The Jacoby rule is not used in match play.
The Holland rule applies to match games and applies to post-Crawford games, the player who is loosing can only double after both sides have played two rolls. Unlike the Crawford rule, the Holland rule is rarely played in modern backgammon.
