Backgammon

Backgammon has long been an exciting game requiring both skill and luck, and enjoyed by folks all around the globe. And now the game's becoming even more popular among online casino fans too.

In each backgammon match, two players compete against each other. There are thirty checkers (also called pieces, men, stones, counters) in a backgammon game. Fifteen checkers are black; 15 are white.

 

The Set-Up
A backgammon board consists of 24 triangles in alternating colors/shades known as points. The board is separated into 4 quadrants with each quadrant comprising 6 points. Each contestant has an ‘inner' board (home) and an ‘outer' board which is separated by a raised area in the center of the board known as the bar. When a checker's been "hit," it's placed on the bar and may only re-enter in the opponent's inner board on a successive roll.

Checkers are initially set-up in the following manner:

Two checkers positioned on each players' 24 point
Five checkers positioned on each players' 13 point
Three checkers positioned on each players' 8 point
Five checkers positioned on each players' 6 point.

The direction of game play in backgammon is from your opponent's inner (home) board to their outer board, to your outer board, to your home board.

Game Objective
Both opponents must move their checkers according to the numbers resulting from the throw of the dice. Players move their checkers around the board towards their inner/home boards. Once all of the checkers reach a player's home board, he or she may begin what's known as bearing off, that is, removing their checkers from the board. The player bearing off all of their checkers first wins the backgammon game.

Let the Game Begin
A round of backgammon starts with each participant tossing a single die in order to settle on which player goes first. Whoever gets the higher number may have the first move. If both contestants roll the same number, they throw the diced again until one achieves a higher number. After the first move, players alternate rolling the dice.


Each checker is moved forward around the board according to the numbers resulting from the rolled dice. Following are the rules for moving backgammon checkers:

1. The numbers on the two dice allow for two separate moves; one checker can be moved according to the total sum or two checkers may be moved according to one number on each die. For example, a roll resulting in a 6 and 3 means you may move one checker 6 spaces and another checker 3 spaces. Or, you may move a single checker 9 spaces.

2. One backgammon player may move a checker to any spot already occupied by their own checkers, or to a point with none or one of their opponent's checkers on it. A checker may not be moved to where two or more of an opponent's checkers are.

3. If a backgammon player's roll of the dice results in doubles (same number on both dice), they may move double the sum shown. This is clearly an advantage and games are commonly won by players achieving more doubles than their challengers. For example, if a pair of two's is rolled, a player may move two points four times, and in any of the following possible combinations:

1 checker a total of 8 spaces
2 checkers a total of 4 spaces
4 checkers 2 spaces each
2 checkers a total of 2 spaces each and another a total of 4 spaces
Any 1 checker a total of 6 spaces and another 2 spaces

4. The total sum of a roll must be used whenever possible, including doubles. If only one number can be played, it must be the larger of the two. If doubles are rolled, a player must play as many of the four numbers as possible.

Points
Two or more checkers winding up on the same point is referred to as a ‘made' or ‘owned' point. A challenger may not land on that point, but he/she is free to skip over it and continue moving onward. There are no restrictions on how many checkers a backgammon player may have on one particular point. A number of points in a row is known as a ‘prime,' and generating one is a regular backgammon strategy. Achieving six points in a row is said to be a "full prime" and any checkers following this prime are trapped until the prime is broken.

Hitting Blots
A single checker on one point is called a blot. Because checkers with opposite colors cannot occupy the same spot, whenever a backgammon player's checker lands on a blot, the opponent's checker is replaced by the other player's. This is called a hit and the replaced checker is placed upon the bar.

The Bar
The bar is the middle strip dividing the inner and outer backgammon boards. Whenever a checker is positioned on the bar, it remains out of play until it can be re-entered into a player's inner board by a roll of the dice.

Entering From the Bar
A checker on the bar may enter the board when one of the numbers on the rolled dice corresponds to a point unoccupied by 2 or more opposing checkers in an opponent's home board. Should a player not be able to enter because both points designated by the dice are blocked, the turn is passed onto the opponent. If the opponent occupies all 6 points on their board, the other backgammon player need not even roll the dice since it is impossible to re-enter until a point on the backgammon board becomes vacant. This is referred to as a ‘shut-out' or ‘closed board.'

If ever a player has one or more checkers on the bar, all of the checkers must re-enter the backgammon board prior to any other checkers being moved. Once all of the checkers are re-entered, any unused numbers on the dice may be used to move any checker including the one re-entered.

The Bear Off
The Bear Off is the final stage of a backgammon game when both players attempt to remove all their checkers from their respective home boards. However, a player may not commence bearing off until all 15 of their checkers are positioned in their home board. At this time, contestants can bear off their checkers in accordance with the numbers on their rolled dice. For example, if a player rolls a 3 and a 2, he/she can remove one checker off the 3 point and another off the 2 point, provided the player already has checkers on these points. Or a player can move their checkers to these points from within their home board, again with respect to the numbers on the dice. A player's entire roll must be exhausted. Thus, if a player rolls a 5 and has no checkers on the 6 point or 5 point, they must remove a checker from the next highest point with checkers on it. If they roll a 5 but don't have a checker on the 5 point, but have one on the 6 point, they must eventually move the checker on to their 6 point - five spaces from the one point. The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins the backgammon match.

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