Backgammon is a head-to-head board game played between 2 players. Backgammon is a race game to an agreed upon match point
length and for an agreed upon stake.
The match point length default at Club Games Backgammon is 3. This means to win a match a player must be the first to win three
1-Point matches, a 1-Point match and a 2-Point match, two 2-Point matches or one 4-Point match.
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Object of the Game: The object of the game is for a player to move all of their checkers to their home board, positions 1 - 6, and
then move each checker off the board to the borne off position. The first player to have borne off all of their checkers wins the game.
Set Up: The board contains 24 points, divided into four quadrants of 6 points each. The board is numbered from 24 to 1, where 24 - 19,
is the opponents home board and points 6 - 1 is the player's home board. The player's initial checker positions are as follows:
2 checkers on the 24 point, 5 checkers on the 13 point, 3 checkers on the 8 point and 5 checkers on the 6 point.
Initial Board Set-up
To Begin Play: A player must choose a color by selecting either the Join White or Join Red button and selecting the Start button. Once a
color is chosen, the player's roll icon, dice and doubling cube will be the color they have selected.
Red Player's Roll Icon
After both players have selected the start button, each player must press the Roll icon for the initial roll, which rolls a single
die. Whichever player rolls the highest number wins the roll and may to move his or her checkers according to the count on both
dice. If the numbers rolled are equal, each player will be forced to roll again until the dice results are not the same. After
the first roll, the Roll Icon will appear indicating it is the player's turn and players will alternate turns. Pressing the Roll
Icon will roll both dice.
Initial Roll
Direction of Play:
Players may chose to the direction of play. A player has the option to move their checkers clockwise or counterclockwise. Players
may also choose their bear off position: Top Right, Bottom Right, Top Left or Bottom Left. The direction of play, game option is
located in the backgammon game board. Select the Options button and choose "Mirror Horizontally", "Mirror Vertically" or "Rotate Board".
Clockwise / Bear Off: Bottom Right
Counter-Clockwise / Bear Off: Top Right
Checker Movement: The roll of the dice indicates how many points a player can move. Checkers must always move forward, to a
lesser-numbered point equal to the total pip count on each dice. Each die indicates a separate move. A player may choose to
use both moves for one checker or use two single moves for two checkers. A checker can only be moved to an open point. An
open point is one that is not occupied by two or more opposing player's checkers. A player can only use both moves for one
checker, if the intermediate point is open.
There are three ways to move a checker: Click-to-Move, Drag-and-Drop & Highlight-to-Move:
Click-to-Move: (CG default) A checker is moved by clicking on the point of the checker the player wants to move, which immediately
moves the checker the amount of the higher roll. A selection of the next checker that the player wants to move will immediately
move the checker the amount of the lower roll. If a player wishes to move the lower roll first, just hold down the shift key and
click on the checker to be moved.
Drag-and-Drop: To move a checker, select and hold down the desired checker and move / drag it to the point where you would like
to move and release the checker.
Highlight-to-Move: To move a checker, one must select the point on which the checker currently resides, which will then light
up the available move positions. The player must then select the lighted point that he or she wishes to move the checker.
Undo: During a player's turn, he/she may undo any or all of their moves by selecting the Undo icon for each move he or she
would like to undo, prior to selecting end turn.
Undo Icon
End Turn: When a player is satisfied with their moves he or she must either click on the dice or press the End Turn icon,
to complete the their turn. There is no undo functionality after a player has ended their turn.
End Icon
Double Roll: A player that rolls a double receives twice the amount of moves. For example, if a player rolls a 5 and a 5,
he/she would have four moves of 5.
Legal Moves: A player must use all the moves they have if possible. If two moves are possible then they must be taken. If
only one number move is possible then it must be taken. If either number can be moved but not both, then the larger number
must be played. If no numbers can be moved, then the player loses his/her turn.
Hitting: A player that lands on or "hits" a point with a single opponent's checker, called a blot, forces the opponent's
checker to the bar. Once a player has one or more checkers on the bar he must use every rolled number to attempt to enter
these checkers onto the opposing player's home board. If a player is able to enter some but not all of their checkers from
the bar, he or she must forfeit any remaining rolled numbers. Once all of a player's checkers are off the bar, the player
may use the remaining numbers to move any checker on the board.
Bearing Off: Once a player has moved all 15 checkers into their home board, they may begin to bear off their checkers.
A player bears off by rolling a number that is equal to the point where a checker is located and then moving the checker
off the board. If there is not a checker on the number of the roll, the player must move a checker on a higher-numbered
point. If there is not a checker on a higher-numbered point, the player can bear off a checker from a lower-numbered
point where a checker resides. If a checker is hit during the bear-off process it is placed on the bar and the player
must enter that checker back into the opponents home board.
Doubling Cube: The cube, larger in size than the regular die, with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 on its sides. At
the beginning of the game, the doubling cube resides in the middle of the side bar and is turned to 64, indicating that
it has not yet been played.
Either player may double the value of the current game by clicking on the doubling cube or selecting the Doubling Cube
icon prior to pressing the Roll icon. When selecting the doubling cube, a player will be asked to confirm whether or
not he or she wishes to double the cube. Once a player verifies this action, a message will be sent to the opponent
informing them that their opponent has requested to double the value of the game at which time they may Accept or
Reject the offer to raise the stakes. By accepting the doubling cube offer, the player becomes the owner of the cube
and the game value is doubled. The player that owns the cube is the only player that may double the cube again to the
next higher number. If a player chooses to reject the offer, they are choosing to resign from the game and they will
lose the value of the game prior to the doubling offer.
Doubling Cube Icon
Resign: At any given time a player may resign from the game by selecting the Resign icon. When electing to resign, a
player will be asked to confirm their resignation request and they must choose to resign a single game, a double game
(Gammon) or a triple game (Backgammon). Once the resignation choice has been verified the opponent will be given the
opportunity to accept or reject the resignation offer.
Resign Icon
Game Options: The following are gameplay options available through the "Game Options" button.
Automatic Double - Same opening roll for each player automatically turns the cube to 2,
doubling the game value. Used principally in money games and not match play.
Backgammon - Winner of the game is awarded triple the game value when opponent has
remaining checkers on winner's home board or on the bar.
Beaver - Accepting a double with an immediate redouble, which allows retention of the
cube and quadruple of the game value.
Crawford Game - When a player comes to within one point of winning the match, the
doubling cube is not available for the next game. The doubling cube becomes available after this game.
Gammon - Winner of the game is awarded double the game value when opponent has not
borne off any checkers.
Jacoby Rule - A gammon or backgammon game can only be scored if the cube has been
doubled. Used principally in money games and not match play.
Holland Rule -
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