The Finer Points of Backgammon

The Finer Points of Backgammon

Backgammon is a game played by two players, each with 15 markets of stones – these days checkers can be used in a pinch. The object is to be the first player to move all one’s markers around the board and then off it.

To set up, the markers are placed on the board as shown in the diagram below. The board is divided into four “tables” with numbered triangular spaces, or “points.”

To play, each player rolls a die. The higher one goes first. Players then take turns rolling two dice to determine how many spaces to move the stones, with black moving around the board in the direction and white moving in the opposite direction. The numbers on each die can be combined so that one pieces moves the total amount indicated. Alternatively, each die’s value can be applied separately to a single marker.

Throwing “doubles” (say, two 4s), allows a player to move twice as many points as shown on the dice – in this case, either four markers can be moved four spaces each, one can be moved four spaces and one 12 spaces, two can be moved 8 spaces each, or one marker can be moved 16 spaces.

Backgammon Board is shown in the starting position. The goal is to move your men from your opponent’s inner table to you own inner table on the opposite side of the board. White moves in the direction indicated by the arrows, black moves in the opposite direction. When all of your men reach your inner table, you may begin hearing them off by throwing dice that (hopefully) correspond to the number assigned each point.

There is no limit to the number of markers of the same color that may stay on one point, but markers of opposite colors may not occupy the same point. If two or more markers are on a point, the point is closed, – a marker is open and is called a “blot.” If an opponent lands on a blot, the other player must move his or her man to the bar between the two halves of the board and can play no other man till the one on the bar reenters. To do so, the player must make a roll of the dice that corresponds to a space on the other player’s inner table that is open or blotted.

Once all of a player’s 15 men have entered his or her “inner table” (the opposite side of the board from which the player began), the player may begin bearing off by rolling the dice and removing any men that occupy spaces indicated by the roll. If a player rolls 5 and 4, for example, he or she may remove one of the men that occupy point 5 and4, for example he or she may remove one of the men that occupy point 5 and one of the men that occupy point 4. If the number is higher than any of the occupied points, the player may remove a man from the next highest point. Double 6s are an especially good roll at this point. Play continues till one of the players has removed all of his or her men.