What is Backgammon?
If you’ve never played backgammon before, you might think it looks like a combination of checkers and a dice game. It’s actually a bit more like the game of “Sorry” that you might have played as a little kid. Backgammon is a traditional Middle Eastern game, common in Turkey and Iran, but also has historical roots in India.
The game of backgammon is played by two players at a time, making it an uncommon casino game. Although the dice play an important role in backgammon, the game of backgammon is very much a strategy game.
Can I Play Backgammon Online?
Backgammon has been available online both for free and for pay for over ten years. Over the years, its popularity has increased greatly and there are a number of online backgammon sites that allow players to compete in backgammon online both for free and for cash.
While backgammon sites are often grouped with online gambling, backgammon is a strategy game more similar to chess or checkers than to casino games or even poker.
How Does Backgammon Work as a Betting Game?
To play backgammon for money, you agree to a certain initial bet. Each player pays that amount to play, and double that amount, minus the website’s rake, is the prize. There is also another option. In this option, there is a series of games. A stake is determined for the entire series, and play continues until one player scores the agreed-upon number of points. During the game, players can offer a double.
If a player offers a double, the other player can either agree to double their bet or resign the game. Doubling can occur more than once in a game. Additionally, if the winning player completes their game before their opponent has managed to begin bearing off, the current bet is doubled again.
This is referred to as a gammon. In rare cases, the winner completes their game while their opponent still has checkers on the bar or in the winner’s home board. In this case, called a backgammon, the bet is tripled. As a result of these rules, a game can be worth many points, making point play very exciting.
How Do I Find a Good Backgammon Site Online?
There are a number of good online backgammon sites. The most important thing to look for is traffic. If there aren’t a lot of players on an online backgammon site, you’ll be playing against the same players over and over again.
After a short time, you’ll steer clear of those who are better than you and those who aren’t as good as you will steer clear of you. Since there is a rating system employed on most online backgammon sites, you need to play at a site where you’re likely to find players with a similar rating to yours. Simply put, the more players there are, the more players there are with your rating level.
When Should I Deposit at an Online Backgammon Site?
Since backgammon is very much a game of skill, you should play a number of games to get a feel for it before you consider spending money. You should also read some strategy guides. If you are considering betting any serious money, you should invest in a good backgammon book or some training software like Snowie or Jellyfish.
