Backgammon Rules Learn How to Play Backgammon
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Health Fitness -> subcategory Other.
Backgammon Rules: Learn How to Play Backgammon
Backgammon is one of the world's oldest and most beloved board games, with a history tracing back to Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Rome. Today, it’s a popular pastime in the US, East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Getting Started
To play backgammon, you'll need:
- A partner
- Two dice
- A backgammon board with checkers
The backgammon board is divided into two mirrored sides, each with 12 triangles called points, numbered from 1 to 24.
- Points 1 to 6: Home Board (or Inner Board)
- Points 7 to 12: Outer Board
- 7 Point: Bar Point
- 13 Point: Midpoint
Setup
Each player begins with:
- 2 checkers on the 24-point
- 3 checkers on the 8-point
- 5 checkers each on the 13-point and 6-point
The objective is to move your checkers to your opponent's home board and remove them from the board before your opponent does the same with theirs.
Gameplay
The game starts with both players rolling one die. The player with the higher roll makes the first move using the total of both dice. If the roll is a tie, both roll again. Thereafter, each player rolls two dice per turn.
Moving the Checkers
- Move checkers based on the sum of the dice.
- If the roll is 5 and 4, you can move one checker 9 spaces or one checker 5 spaces and another 4 spaces.
Doubles
Rolling doubles allows you to move double the rolled number. For example, rolling double 2 lets you move a total of 8 points in various combinations.
Hitting Blots
A blot is a point occupied by a single opponent checker. You can land on a blot, moving your opponent's checker to the bar, which is the center portion of the board.
Bar Checkers
Checkers on the bar are out of play until re-entering at the opponent's home board via a dice roll.
For example, if you roll a 2, you re-enter a checker on the 23-point. You cannot move other checkers until all bar checkers have been re-entered.
Bearing Off
Once your checkers are in the home board, you bear them off based on the dice roll. Rolling a 1 lets you remove a checker from the 1-point, and so forth.
Winning
- Gammon: If you bear off all 15 checkers before your opponent bears off any.
- Backgammon: If you bear off all 15 checkers while your opponent has none off and still has checkers on the bar.
Enjoy playing backgammon, and may the best strategy win!
You can find the original non-AI version of this article here: Backgammon Rules Learn How to Play Backgammon.
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