Backgammon Rules

The complete rules of backgammon — a clear reference

This is the complete rule set for backgammon: how the board is set up, how the checkers move, how hitting and the bar work, how to bear off, and how a game is won. It's written as a concise reference. If you'd prefer a friendlier step-by-step walkthrough, start with our how-to-play guide — then play free on BackgammonWorld.

Objective

Backgammon is a game for two players. Each has fifteen checkers that move around a board of 24 points in opposite directions, both toward their own home board. The first player to bring all fifteen checkers into their home board and then remove them from the board — bearing off — wins.

The board and setup

The board has 24 points in four quadrants of six. Each player has a home board and an outer board. Counting each player's own points from 1 (their nearest home point) to 24 (the far corner), the standard starting position for each side is:

• Two checkers on the 24-point,
• Five checkers on the 13-point,
• Three checkers on the 8-point,
• Five checkers on the 6-point.

Starting the game

Each player rolls a single die; the higher number goes first and plays those two dice as the opening move. If both players roll the same number, they roll again. After the opening, players alternate turns, each rolling two dice.

Moving the checkers

• The two dice are two separate moves. You may move one checker by each die, or the same checker by both dice in succession (as long as the intermediate point is open).
• A checker may only move to an open point: one that is empty, holds your own checkers, or holds exactly one opposing checker.
• A point held by two or more opposing checkers is blocked — you cannot land there.
• Doubles (the same number on both dice) are played four times. Double 5s, for example, is four moves of five.
• You must play as many dice as possible. If you can play both, you must. If only one die can be played but either could be played alone, you must play the higher one. If no legal move exists, you forfeit the turn.

Blots, hitting and the bar

• A point with a single checker is a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar (the ridge between the two halves of the board).
• A player with a checker on the bar must enter it into the opponent's home board before making any other move. A die value enters a checker on the corresponding point of that home board.
• If the entry points are all blocked, the player cannot move and forfeits the turn (a "dance").

Bearing off

Once all fifteen of your checkers are in your home board (points 1–6), you may begin bearing off — removing checkers from the board.

• A die bears a checker off the point of that number: a 4 bears a checker off the 4-point.
• If you roll a number higher than your highest occupied point, you may bear a checker off from that highest point.
• You may always move a checker within the home board instead of bearing off.
• If a checker is hit during the bear-off, you must re-enter it from the bar and bring it all the way home again before you may resume bearing off.

Winning the game

The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins. The size of the win depends on the loser:

• Single game (1 point): the loser has borne off at least one checker.
• Gammon (2 points): the loser has not borne off a single checker.
• Backgammon (3 points): the loser has not borne off any checker and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board.

The doubling cube

In match and money play, a doubling cube (a six-sided die marked 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64) tracks the stakes. Before rolling, a player may propose to double the stakes. The opponent either accepts (play continues at double the stakes, and they now own the cube and may redouble later) or declines (they concede the current stake and the game ends). This adds a rich layer of decision-making about when to offer, take, or drop.

Variants and etiquette

• Match play. Serious games are played to a target score (e.g. first to 7 points), often with the Crawford rule: in the game where a player first reaches one point short of the match, the doubling cube is not used for that one game.
• Optional side rules such as beavers and the Jacoby rule appear in money play; they are agreements between players, not part of the core rules.
• Etiquette. Roll the dice in your right-hand section of the board, don't pick up the dice until you've completed your move, and complete your move before your opponent rolls. Online, the software handles all of this for you.

Quick rules summary

• Two players, fifteen checkers each, moving in opposite directions toward home.
• Roll two dice; each die moves one checker to an open point. Doubles play four times.
• Use as many dice as you can; the higher die if only one fits.
• Land on a lone enemy checker to hit it to the bar; enter from the bar before anything else.
• Bear off once all your checkers are home; first to bear off all fifteen wins.
• Gammon = double, backgammon = triple. No draws.

Start playing

The rules click into place once you play. On BackgammonWorld the board highlights every legal move and enforces the rules for you — play the computer on three levels, or friends and online opponents, free with no signup.

Learn more: the how-to-play walkthrough, the best opening moves, and our strategy guide.