Backgammon Rules - How to Play
Learn standard backgammon rules: dice, hits, bar entry, bearing off, gammon and backgammon scoring, without a doubling cube.
Setup and direction
Each player has 15 checkers on 24 points. White moves from 23 down to 0, while black moves in the other direction. The final six points form each player’s home board.
Using the dice
Roll two dice and use both numbers whenever legal. Doubles give four moves. If an ordinary roll allows only one die, use the higher usable die; if neither works, the turn passes.
Hits and the bar
A lone opposing checker is a blot. Landing on it sends it to the bar. A player with a checker on the bar must re-enter through the opponent’s home board before moving any other checker.
Bearing off and scoring
Bear off only after all 15 checkers reach your home board. Exact rolls bear off matching checkers; a high roll can bear off only the farthest checker. A normal win is 1 point, gammon is 2, and backgammon is 3.
Backgammon FAQ
- Can I use one die only?
- Only when the other is not legal; if one ordinary die can be used, use the higher one.
- What happens after a hit?
- The checker goes to the bar and must re-enter first.
- Can I bear off with a high roll?
- Yes, only when no checker remains farther from the exit.
- Is there a doubling cube?
- No. This board has normal, gammon, and backgammon scoring but no cube.
Practice
Use the live board to test one decision at a time.