Backgammon Rules

Backgammon is a classic two-player game blending strategy and luck, making it an enduring and widely played mind sport. Players race their checkers around a board using dice rolls. The objective is simple, but its tactical depth offers a lifetime of study.

While variations exist, this guide covers competitive backgammon rules, from setup to match play and the doubling cube. These rules are recognized by the World Backgammon Federation (WBGF) and used in official championships. The US Backgammon Federation also offers an introductory guide to the basics.

Understanding these rules is essential for appreciating the game’s complexity and exploring foundational ideas like probability and board structure. This page focuses strictly on rules; a companion guide explores backgammon strategy.

The Objective of the Game

The objective: be the first to move all fifteen checkers around the board, into your home board, and then “bear them off” (remove entirely). The first to bear off all checkers wins. Checkers travel a U-shaped course in opposing directions.

Equipment and Setup

The Board and Checkers

The board has twenty-four “points” (triangles) in four quadrants, separated by a central “bar”. Each player has a “home board” and an “outer board”. Players use fifteen checkers of one color, a pair of dice, and a dice cup.

A “doubling cube” (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) raises the point value of a game during match play. It starts on the bar, 64-side up, signifying a one-point game.

The Starting Position

Points are numbered 1 to 24. A player’s 1-point is in their home board; the 24-point is the opponent’s 1-point. Each player arranges fifteen checkers in a specific, symmetrical formation, identical from their own perspective.

Point Number	Number of Checkers
24-point (opponent’s 1-point)	2 checkers
13-point (opponent’s mid-point)	5 checkers
8-point (player’s outer board)	3 checkers
6-point (player’s home board)	5 checkers

Playing the Game

Rolling the Dice and Moving

Players roll one die to start; the higher roll goes first, using both numbers. Afterward, players alternate, rolling two dice. Dice numbers (pips) dictate checker movement. Numbers can move two checkers or combine for one, provided intermediate points aren’t blocked.

A roll of 4 and 2 allows moving one checker four points and another two, or one checker six points if the intermediate point is open. A point is “blocked” by two or more opponent’s checkers. Players can land on empty points, their own checkers, or a single opposing checker (a “blot”).

Rolling doubles (e.g., 5-5) means four moves of that number. Players must use both dice numbers if possible. If only one number can be played, it must be used. If either number can be played but not both, the larger number must be played. If no legal moves are possible, the turn is forfeited.

Hitting and Entering from the Bar

A single checker is a “blot.” If an opponent lands on a blot, it’s “hit” and moved to the bar. Checkers on the bar must re-enter before any other moves can be made.

To re-enter, use a dice roll to move a checker from the bar to an open point in the opponent’s home board (e.g., a 3-roll enters the 3-point). If the corresponding point is blocked by two or more opponent’s checkers, entry is impossible. If all entry points are blocked, the turn is lost, known as “dancing”.

Bearing Off

Once all fifteen checkers are in a player’s home board (points 1-6), “bearing off” begins. This removes checkers from the board. A roll of 4 bears off from the 4-point, a 6 from the 6-point, etc.

Exact rolls aren’t needed for bearing off. If a roll is higher than the highest occupied point, bear off from that highest point. For example, with 5-5 and the remaining checkers stacked on the 4-, 2-, and 1-points, each 5 bears off a checker from the highest occupied point, starting with the 4-point. If a checker is hit during bear-off, it must return to the home board before bearing off resumes.

Scoring and Winning

Standard Wins, Gammons, and Backgammons

The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game. Points awarded depend on the opponent’s final position and are multiplied by the doubling cube.

Type of Win	Condition	Points Awarded
Standard Win	Opponent has borne off at least one checker.	1 point
Gammon	Opponent has not borne off any checkers.	2 points
Backgammon	Opponent has not borne off any checkers and has at least one checker on the bar or in the winner’s home board.	3 points

The Doubling Cube

The doubling cube is an essential element of modern backgammon, adding psychological and mathematical skill. Before rolling, a player can offer to double the point value of the game by turning the cube to “2”. The opponent can “take” or “pass”.

If the opponent “passes” (drops), they forfeit one point. If they “take,” the game continues at double the point value, and they “own” the cube. Only the cube owner can redouble. Subsequent doubles increase value (4, 8, 16…). The cube allows a player with an advantage to increase reward or force a concession.

Match Play Rules

Playing to a Point Total

In tournaments, players compete in a “match” to a predetermined point total (e.g., 7 or 11 points). The first to reach this total wins. All scoring, including gammons, backgammons, and doubling cube values, contributes. For instance, a gammon with the cube on 2 in a 7-point match awards 4 points (2×2).

The Crawford Rule

The Crawford Rule applies in match play: for the first game where one player is one point away from winning the match (the “Crawford game”), the doubling cube cannot be used. This ensures the leader must win the game over the board. After this single game, the cube is back in play.

Tournament Conventions

Formal competition requires fair play procedures. Dice must be shaken in a cup and rolled onto the board’s right side. A roll is valid if both dice land flat. A move is complete when dice are picked up. These standards, enforced by tournament directors and bodies like the WBGF, maintain game integrity. Many players enjoy a daily logic puzzle between matches.

Frequently Asked Questions