Backgammon is a game for two players, played on a board consisting of twenty-four narrow triangles called points. The triangles alternate in color and are grouped into four quadrants of six triangles each. The quadrants are referred to as a player’s home board and outer board, and the opponent’s home board and outer board. The home and outer boards are separated from each other by a ridge down the center of the board called the bar.

SET UP

DOUBLING CUBE

Remember that you can double the stakes at any time.

In backgammon, the winner doesn't gain points, but the loser loses points. So if you win, the opponent will either lose based on the face value, double value, or triple value of the stakes on the doubling cube. The doubling cube isn't a die but a marker. It starts at 1, but you can raise the stakes at any time at the beginning of your turn before you have rolled the dice.

• If you want to double the stakes and your partner accepts, then the cube is turned to the new number and placed in your opponent's court. He will have ownership of the cube and will be able to propose a doubling during any of his future turns.
• If your opponent does not accept your offer, he must forfeit the game and lose by the original stakes.
• You can keep doubling the stakes back and forth, or redoubling, but it's not traditionally done more than three or four times in a game.

HOW TO PLAY

1. Roll a die to determine who goes first.

The player who rolls the highest number will go first. If both players roll the same number, roll again. The numbers rolled will count as the first moves for the player with the highest number. For example, if one player rolled a 5 and the other rolled a 2, then the player who rolled the 5 would go first and use the 5 and 2 in lieu of a new dice roll.

1. Roll the dice.

Use a dice tumbler to roll two six-sided dice once during each of your turns. The numbers rolled represent two separate moves. For example, if you roll a 3 and a 5, you can move one checker three spaces and another checker 5 spaces. Or, you can move one checker 3 spaces and then 5 more spaces.

If either of the dice lands on a checker, outside of the board, or leaning against the edge of the board, then it is not considered valid and you will have to reroll.

1. Move your checkers to an open point.

An open point is any point on the board that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers. You can move your checkers to a point with no checkers on it, a point with one or more of your checkers on it, or a point with one of your opponent's checkers on it. Remember that you must always move your checkers in the direction that goes towards your own home court. • You only need 2 checkers to block a point, but you can have as many of your checkers as you want on a single point.

• You lose your turn if you can't play either number that was rolled.

1. Hit a blot to move your opponent's checkers to the bar.

If you hit a blot, a point occupied by just one of your opponent's checkers, then the opponent's checkers will be placed on the bar. Any time a player's checker is on the bar, he can't move his other checkers until he gets the bar checker back on the home board. If a player hits a blot with one of your pieces on it, then you have to place your own checker on your bar. Your task is now to move that checker back onto the opposing home board.

1. Understand how to win the game.

To win the game, you need to be the first one to bear off, or remove, all of your checkers from the board and into your tray. To bear off your checkers, you need to roll both dice and use the numbers to move pieces into the tray. The numbers you roll must be exact or higher than the number of spaces needed to remove each piece from the board.

DIFFERNT TYPES OF GAMMONS

Bear off all fifteen of your checkers.

If you bear off all fifteen of your checkers before your opponent does, then you have won the game of backgammon. But not all wins are created equal. Your opponent can lose in one of three ways:

• A regular loss. This happens if you bore off all of your checkers first while your opponent was trying to bear off his checkers. Your opponent will lose only the value on the doubling cube.
• The gammon. If you bear off all of your checkers before your opponent bears off any of his, he is gammoned and loses twice the value on the doubling cube.
• The backgammon. If you bore off all of your checkers while your opponent still has checkers on the bar or your home court, then your opponent is backgammon and loses three times the value on the doubling cube.