Backgammon is a two-player race game where you move fifteen checkers around the board and off the other side, guided by dice rolls. It mixes luck and skill: the dice decide your options, but how you use them decides the game.
The goal
Each player moves their fifteen checkers around the board toward their "home" quarter, then removes them. The first player to remove all fifteen checkers — called "bearing off" — wins.
The two players move in opposite directions, so your paths cross and you can interfere with each other.
Rolling and moving
You roll two dice and move checkers according to the numbers.
- Each die is a separate move — a 5 and a 3 lets you move one checker five points and another three, or one checker eight points in two steps.
- Rolling doubles (say two 4s) gives you four moves of that number.
- You must use both dice if a legal move exists.
A point held by two or more enemy checkers is blocked — you cannot land there.
Hitting and re-entering
A lone checker on a point is a "blot." If your opponent lands on it, your blot is hit and sent to the bar. Before doing anything else, you must re-enter that checker in your opponent’s home board on your next roll.
Tip: avoid leaving blots where your opponent can easily hit them. A hit checker loses a lot of ground, sometimes deciding the race.
Bearing off
Once all fifteen of your checkers reach your home board, you start removing them based on your rolls.
| Roll | Bears off from |
|---|---|
| 6 | The six-point |
| 3 | The three-point |
| Higher than needed | The highest occupied point |
Simple strategy
Two ideas win most beginner games: build "points" (two checkers together) to block your opponent, and avoid leaving blots in danger. Balance racing ahead with keeping a safe structure.
Backgammon rewards playing the odds — over many games, good decisions beat lucky dice. Learn the re-entry and bearing-off rules, avoid careless blots, and you will win far more than you lose.