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How to Play Backgammon

backgammon

Setup

To play Backgammon, you will need a board, two sets of 15 checkers (each set should be one color, traditionally one set is white and the other set is black), two dice and a doubling cube. The players sit across from each other and the board is placed between them with the bar in the middle and each player’s home board on their right side.

Objective

The objective of Backgammon is to be the first player to bear off, or remove, all of your checkers from the board. Points can also be earned by hitting and sending the opponent’s checkers to the bar and by using the doubling cube. The player who bears off all of their checkers first or has the most points at the end of the game wins.

Gameplay

Each turn, players roll two dice and use the numbers rolled to move their checkers. Checkers can only be moved to an open point, or a point occupied by the player’s own checkers. If a player lands on a point occupied by only one of the opponent’s checkers, that checker is hit and sent to the bar. Players can also use the doubling cube to increase the stakes of the game.

Endgame

The game ends when a player bears off all of their checkers or has the most points at the end of the game. The winner can choose to play again or pass it on to another player.

About the Author: Brian Oddo

I'm the founder of The Game Farm. I've been playing games ever since I could match block shapes together. From cards to sports, I love it all. Find me at your local brewery playing Euchre or on Wednesday during kickball. I created The Game Farm to help people keep life fun and competitive.

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