It is very easy to understand the basic rule to play Backgammon game. Checkers are spread all over the board in various places called points. Two players can play this game. They need to take turns to throw the dice. The player can move the checkers in opposite directions, according to the number of pips shown on the dice. The aim is to bring all their checkers to their home board, which is located at the bottom of the board. The game can be played online following the same rules.
Backgammon is played live, as the players need to play opposite each other. The home board is at the bottom left for one player and bottom right for another player. If all the checkers are in the home board, the players can bear off, which means they can take the pieces from the board one by one. The first player who bears off the pieces completely is the winner.
How To Set Up The Backgammon Board
In Backgammon game each player has fifteen checkers. Two checkers are played on the first point of the home board of the opponent. This is called point one. Five checkers are kept at point twelve, three checkers at point seventeen and the last five are placed at point nineteen, the home board of the player.
Rules To Move The Checkers
The player can move the checker every time he rolls the dice. The checker can be moved to as many places as the number of pips shown on the dice. For instance, if you roll 4-2, the checker can be moved four points and another checker can be moved two points. It can be the same checker, if both the moves are legal. That means instead of moving two checkers, you can move one checker to six points.
However, if the checker cannot land at the point four and two, you cannot make any moves. If both the dice show the same number, the roll will be doubled. So it will be considered as if four dice were rolled. For instance, if you roll 2-2 in backgammon game, you can move four different checkers two spaces each.
Where To Land?
In backgammon, you may land at any point, where the checkers of your opponent are fewer than two. If you cannot move any checker to such position, you need to give up your turn. If you land on a point, where your opponent has a single checker kept on a bar, he cannot move any other piece until he brings the piece in the bar in. he needs to start again at space number one.
Doubling Cube
Doubling cube can be used, if you play for points. The cube features the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64. You may offer the cube at the beginning of each turn. This means you can ask your opponent whether he wants to double the bet. If the opponent refuses, he forfeits the game. If he agrees, the value of the game will be doubled.
Gammon And Backgammon
If you complete your bearing off fully, before your opponent removes a single checker form the board, the game value will be doubled. This game is called a gammon. If you complete bearing off, but the opponent still has a single piece on the home board, it is backgammon. The game value will be tripled in backgammon.
