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Backgammon Basics: The Goal of the Game

Backgammon is a race between two players. You each have 15 checkers, and the goal is to move all of them around the board and off before your opponent does the same. Dice tell you how far to move, but you choose which checkers to move and when.

That choice is where all the fun is. The dice hand you a little puzzle each turn, and your job is to solve it. In any single game, luck can absolutely swing the result, and we've all been on the wrong end of double 6s at the worst possible moment. But over a session or a match, the player who makes better choices wins more often. That's what keeps people hooked.

The equipment is simple: a board with 24 points, 15 checkers per player, two pairs of dice, dice cups, and a doubling cube. The cube isn't a die. It tracks the stakes of the game and is central to competitive play.

How to Set Up the Backgammon Board

The board has 24 narrow triangles called points. A raised strip down the middle, known as the bar, divides the board in half. This gives you four sections of six points each:

• Your home board (points 1–6)
• Your outer board (points 7–12)
• Your opponent's outer board (points 13–18)
• Your opponent's home board (points 19–24)

Each player starts with 15 checkers arranged in a fixed pattern: two on the 24-point, five on the 13-point, three on the 8-point, and five on the 6-point. This arrangement is mirrored for the other player.

Rules of Play: Movement and Mechanics

Each player rolls two dice. The numbers are played separately: a roll of 6-3 means you move one checker 6 points forward and another (or the same one) 3 points forward. Every move must land on an open point: one that isn't occupied by two or more of the opponent's checkers.

Rolling doubles is a treat: you get four moves instead of two. Roll double 4s and you have four separate moves of 4 points each.

If no legal move exists, you forfeit that portion of the roll. If only one die can be played, you must play the higher number when possible.

The first roll of the game works differently: each player rolls one die, and the player who rolls higher goes first using both numbers. If both players roll the same number, they roll again.

Hitting and Entering from the Bar

A point with only one checker on it (a blot) is vulnerable. If you land on an opponent's blot, that checker goes to the bar. They can't make any other move until they bring that checker back into the game by rolling a number that matches an open point in your home board.

If the opponent can't re-enter (because you have made all the necessary points in your home board), they lose their entire turn. This is called fanning or dancing. It's as frustrating as it sounds, and just as satisfying when you're the one doing it.

Bearing Off: How to Finish the Game

Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board (points 1–6), you start bearing off. Roll a number that matches a point with your checker on it, and that checker comes off the board.

If you roll a number higher than your highest occupied point, you bear off from the highest point instead. If you can't bear off or move, you must move a checker within the home board if a legal move exists.

Scoring and Winning Conditions

A standard win scores 1 point. If the losing player hasn't borne off any checkers, the winner scores a gammon (2 points). If the loser also has a checker in the winner's home board or on the bar, the winner scores a backgammon (3 points). All of these values are multiplied by the current doubling cube value.

The Doubling Cube Explained

The doubling cube is a marker (not a die) with faces showing 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. It starts in the centre of the board with the 64 face up, representing a value of 1. At the start of your turn (before rolling), you can offer to double the stakes. Your opponent either accepts (takes) and plays for the new stake, or declines (drops) and loses the current game at the old stake.

Once someone takes a double, only they can offer the next one. This back-and-forth adds a whole extra layer of strategy: when do you push your advantage, and when do you accept the risk of playing on at higher stakes? You'll develop a feel for it over time. Don't worry about getting it perfect right away.

Basic Backgammon Strategy for Beginners

Even with a basic grasp of the rules, a few principles will improve your results right away. And here's the encouraging part: just knowing these puts you ahead of most casual players.

Opening moves matter.

The first roll sets the tone of the game. Certain rolls have well-established best plays that have been tested over decades of analysis. Learning even a handful of these gives you an edge over opponents who move on instinct alone.

Blocking beats running (early on).

Building consecutive points in front of your opponent's checkers restricts their movement. A wall of made points (a prime) is one of the strongest structures in the game. Focus on making points rather than racing individual checkers home.

Balance safety and aggression.

Leaving blots is sometimes necessary and sometimes correct. Picture this: a blot on your 5-point that helps you build a key point next turn? That's a smart risk. A lone checker stranded deep in the opponent's home board with no backup? That one's going to cost you. Every position calls for a different balance, and reading that balance is what makes you a better player.

For the full list of terms, check out our Backgammon Glossary whenever you need a quick definition.

Variations and Digital Play

The standard rules described here are used in most backgammon worldwide, but two popular variants change the game:

Nackgammon

Created by Nack Ballard, moves one checker each from the 13-point and the 6-point to the 24-point. Each player starts with four back checkers instead of two. This creates more contact and longer games.

Acey-Deucey

Is a military variant where all checkers start off the board and enter during play. The board begins empty, and the game plays very differently from standard backgammon.

Online play brings backgammon to a global audience. You can play rated games, review your moves with analysis tools, and track your performance over time. Digital play also handles setup, rules enforcement, and scoring automatically, making it an ideal way to learn.