Backgammon

If a game has been able to entertain people for several centuries, it can safely be called a classic. Backgammon can be traced back more than 5000 years and since it is still a popular game, it must be considered a classic. The game combines luck and skill, and can be played by all ages and skill levels.

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Backgammon is a popular strategy game that involves moving all one's pieces from the opponent's area to one's own and then removing them from the board. The game requires tactics, luck, and skill, but it is not so complex that it cannot be quickly learned. For this reason, it is also a great way to spend time with the family, and the game is also a staple in many families or in holiday homes around the country.

The game can be enjoyed at home, but can also be played as a professional sport and if one becomes good enough, there are various tournaments one can participate in. Since the game makes extensive use of dice, it is not 100% skill-based – therefore, it also happens that it is not always the most skilled player who wins. However, the more games one plays, the more one's skills begin to have an effect and at larger tournaments, many of the same players are often seen at the top.

If you want to become good at backgammon, there are plenty of resources to be found online. This includes books, articles, and various forums.

Backgammon Rules

Backgammon is played on a board with 24 triangular fields, which are divided into four squares. The fields are numbered from 24-1 for one player counterclockwise (starting from the far right corner) and clockwise for the other player (starting in the far left square). Fields 1-6 are called home, 7-12 are called outer board, 13-18 are the opponent's outer board, and 19-24 are the opponent's home.

Watch the video above for a quick walkthrough on how to play backgammon.

The goal of backgammon is to move all one's pieces from the opponent's home to one's own, after which they must be removed from the board. The player who first removes all their pieces wins the game. Below you will find a simple walkthrough of the most basic rules:

• Each player has 15 pieces, which are placed as shown in the figure above.
• Players roll dice to see who starts. Players then take turns rolling dice and moving their pieces.
• On their turn, the player rolls two dice and then moves one or two of their pieces based on what they have rolled. If one rolls the same result on both dice, they may move double.
• One cannot move their piece onto a field where the opponent has two or more of their pieces.
• If one lands on a field where the opponent has a single piece standing, this piece is knocked home and must be placed on the "bar" in the middle of the board.
• To get their piece back into play from the bar, one must roll the dice as usual on their turn and from that roll place their piece on a valid field starting in the opponent's home. All pieces on the bar must be brought back into play before one can continue moving their other pieces.
• When a player has moved all their pieces into their own area, they can begin to remove them from the board. Here one rolls the dice and removes the pieces one at a time by rolling the dice.