How to Play Backgammon
The Rules of the Popular Boardgame
Backgammon is a game of chance and strategy that has been around for a long time. The name backgammon comes from losing conditions stated in the rules of the game. . If the losing player has not removed any of his checkers from the board, he is said to be gammoned, and he loses double the value shown on the doubling cube and is said to be gammoned. If the losing player gets no checkers off and still has checkers in his home area, he is said to be backgammoned and loses a point value equal to triple the amount shown on the doubling cube.
Starting a Backgammon Game
Backgammon is played with with thirty checkers, two normal six sided dice (most backgammon sets come with four - one for each player) and a six sided die called a doubling cube. Players will set up their checkers on their one, twelve, seventeen and nineteen pips. A pip is the triangle on the backgammon board through which the players move their pieces.
Determining Which Backgammon Player Makes the First Move
Which player starts in a game of backgammon is determined by both players rolling a single die and the player with the highest roll goes first. If both players tie, each player rolls off until one player has the higher number. The doubling cube is then placed at its lowest number . At the start of each player's turn, the doubling cube in a backgammon game may be used to raise the stakes.
Raising the Stakes in a Backgammon Game
Raising the stakes on the doubling cube must be done before the player rolls his dice. The opposing player can either accept his opponents raise in the stakes or refuse the raise and forfeit the game. When the game is forfeit, the player loses the point value shown on the cube and the points are counted. If the player accepts the raise in stakes, he becomes the owner of the cube and only he may make the next stake raise called a redouble. Refusing a redouble does not cause an automatic forfeit, but the player who refuses must pay the point value shown on the cube.
Making Moves in a Backgammon Game
Dice are rolled to determine the amount of pips a backgammon player can move his pieces. Each die represents a different number of spaces a backgammon piece may be moved. For example if a 4 and 3 are ruled on the dice, a player may move one of his pieces seven space, or one piece for spaces and another three. Checkers may only be moved to an open point that does not contain two or more of the opposing players checkers.
If a move cannot be made as a result, a player must take the larger value, or if both values are not possible, a player must add both values on the dice to make his move. If neither total can be used, a backgammon player must forfeit his turn. If doubles come up on a backgammon player's roll, it counts as if the player had rolled four of the same number.
Should a piece land on a pip that is already occupied one of his opponents checker, that piece is said to be hit. A hit piece must return to the bar and order to remove a hit backgammon piece from the bar a player must roll either a 4 or 6. If a player rolls either value he may place the hit backgammon piece on his opponents 4 or 6 pip as long as the pip the player moves to does not have any opposing pieces on it..
Backgammon Victory Conditions
When all of the pieces are in his opponent's territory, the backgammon player may commence bearing off. To bear off a player must have a total equal or greater to the totals showing on the dice. A player must bear off if he has the opportunity to do so. If the backgammon player is able to make a legal move, he does not have to bear off the board. If a checker is hit during the bear off process, it must be returned to the bar and enter back onto the board in the normal fashion. The player who manages to take all of his 15 pieces off the board first is the winner.
Sources:
A chercker board
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