|
About Backgammon
Backgammon is a strategic board game combining luck and acquired skill.
It is known as the oldest recorded game in history. It is played by two players moving light and dark stones called checkers on the board.
The object of backgammon is for you to bring all the checkers to 'your side' and than be the first to clear them off the board.
Never played Backgammon before? Get started now!
Do you want to learn all there is to know about the rules of the game?
Do you want all the info and tips? Read every word of the explanation brought to you in this section , and within moments you too will know how to play and win Backgammon and realize what makes it such a popular game.
General information about the game
Backgammon is played on a board divided into four quarters.
There are 24 long triangles drawn on the board - known as "points", 6 triangles in each quarter.
The game begins when 30 checkers (15 lights and 15 darks) are placed on the 24 triangles in a fixed order.
All points on a backgammon board are distinguished by numbers.
Beginning to play
The opening position of the dark and white players is identical. Like a mirror reflection.
The moves are determined by the roll of 2 dice.
To start the game, each player rolls a single die. The player that gets the higher number gets to go first. If equal numbers come up, both players roll again until different numbers shows up.
The next moves are determined by rolling both dices and taking turns.
The numbers on the two dice can be played in separate moves. For example: if you roll 6 and 4, you may move one checker six spaces to an open point and another checker four spaces to an open point. Your other option is to move one checker a total of ten spaces to an open point, but only if either six or four spaces from the starting point, is also open.
A checker can only be moved to an open point. Therefore in order to gain advantage of your opponent, one of your primary goals is to keep your checkers occupied by two checkers or more. If you don't, your opponent might land his checkers on yours and send it to the bar. It will then be sent to start again at the farthest location on the backgammon board.
Checkers are always moved forward to the lowest numbered point on the board.
Backgammon Glossary
Familiarizing with main Backgammon Rules& terms (alphabetic order)
Ace Point Ace point is the first point in either of you or your opponent home board. Its also known as 'the one point'. An ace point game is a position in the game where you have a checker waiting to be hit on your opponent ace point.
Ahead in the count (also known as ahead in the race) When you have a lower pip count than your opponent (pip count is the total number of points you have to move your checkers into your home board, in order to bear them off first). Remember that the checkers are always moved forward, to a lower-numbered point on the board.
Air ball When you have a poor throw of the dice.
Anchor A point held by two of your checkers (or more) positioned in your opponent home board area or the bar.
Backgame In Backgammon you can win a game even when at some point it looks like your chances of wining are small.
In a case like that, when you are behind in the game but you have two anchors (or more) in the other player home board; You choose the strategy holding the two anchors in his home board as long as you can and by that trying to force him to bear in or bear off.
Back man A player's farthest checker.
Blot When a point is occupied by a single checker. If your opponent checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar.
Bar The bar is an elevated part dividing the board into two separate areas.
The players use it to place their checkers on, after these checkers have been hit.
(Anytime a player has one or more checkers on the bar, his mission is to enter that checker back into the board through the opposing home board).
Bear in Bear in means that you move one of your checkers into your home board. It is a step before all of your checkers are gathered and you begin to bear them off (take them out of the board).
Bear off Bear off occur when you have gathered all of your checkers in your home board, and you begin to remove them out of the board (on your way to win the game).
Checkers Backgammon playing tools.
You move the checkers according to the numbers on the dice.
Beavers A player that agreed to a double, accepts an immediate redouble by his opponent. The game continues with twice the stakes and no limit to the number of redoubling in one game.
Blots When you or your opponent have a single checker located alone on a point, where its an easy target to hit.
If you have been hit, you must re-enter in the opposing home table and you are not allowed to make any moves until he has brought the checker on the bar - back into the game.
Bump The common term to "hit a checker".
Count Count (pip count) means the total number of points that a player has to move his checkers, in order to bring them into his home board and than bear them off.
Crawford rule (also known as Crawford game)
A standard rule that is usually implemented in tournaments (named for John R. Crawford). The rule says that when one of the players is one point short of winning a set, the doubling cube cannot be used in the next game (only in the match after).
After the next game (called a Crawford game), the doubling cube is brought back into the game.
Double One of the players has been offered to continue playing the game with double the current stakes. The offer is made by the other player during the game, right before the he is ready to roll the dice.
The player must think very quickly whether to accept or refuse the double.
If he accepts the offer, the game continues at double the stakes. If he refuses he has to looses the present stakes and resign the game.
Gammon winning a gammon is when you bear off all fifteen of your checkers off the board first, while your opponent still has all his checkers on the board.
Hit Hit To move your checker to a point occupied by your opponent's blot (one checker only), sending it to the bar.
Hit and cover When you hit your opponent's blot, sending it to the bar and continue the move with that same checker, to cover your blot (and thereby make a new point).
Home board The last quadrant of the Backgammon boards that your checkers are moved into before you begin to bear them off.
Open point A point that isn't occupied by two or more opposing checkers.
Prime A sequence of minimum four consecutive made points (each point has two checkers or more of the color you are playing).
The quadrant contains one to six points. |
