A complete beginner's guide to one of the world's oldest and most exciting board games — from board setup to winning strategies.
What Is Backgammon?
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games in history, with origins stretching back over 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. It's a two-player game that blends strategy and luck in a way that keeps every match exciting and unpredictable. Players roll dice and race their checkers (playing pieces) around the board, aiming to be the first to move all 15 checkers off the board.
What makes backgammon so endlessly appealing is the balance: the dice introduce chance, but skilled players consistently outperform beginners through smart positioning, calculated risks, and knowing when to play aggressively or defensively. Whether you're playing on a beach with a travel set or at your coffee table with a beautiful lacquered board, backgammon delivers a satisfying mix of tension and triumph in every game.
What You Need to Play
A standard backgammon set includes everything you need for a game:
Game Components
- The Board: A rectangular board divided into four quadrants, each with 6 triangular points (24 total)
- 30 Checkers: 15 in one color and 15 in another (often black/white or dark/light)
- 2 Pairs of Dice: Each player gets their own pair
- 1 Doubling Cube: A six-sided die with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 (used for optional stakes)
- 2 Dice Cups: Optional but recommended to ensure fair rolls
How to Set Up the Backgammon Board
The backgammon board has 24 narrow triangles called points, numbered 1 through 24. The points alternate in color and are grouped into four quadrants of six points each. The board is divided down the middle by a raised strip called the bar.
Each player has a home board (points 1–6) and an outer board (points 7–12). Your goal is to move all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off. Here's how the board looks from your perspective (as the player with white checkers) moving your white checkers from point 24 toward point 1:
Starting Checker Placement
Each player places their 15 checkers in the following arrangement. If you are playing as the light (white) checkers and your home board is in the lower right:
Your opponent places their checkers in the exact mirror-image arrangement. The setup is symmetrical — each player's 24-point is the other player's 1-point.
How to Move Your Checkers
On each turn, you roll two dice and move your checkers forward (toward lower-numbered points in your direction) by the number of pips shown on each die. The two dice are used as separate moves — you move one checker by the number on one die, and the same or a different checker by the number on the other die.
Key Movement Rules
Hitting & Re-entering
One of backgammon's most exciting elements is the ability to hit your opponent's checkers. If you land on a point occupied by just one of your opponent's checkers (called a blot), that checker is "hit" and placed on the bar in the center of the board.
A checker on the bar must re-enter the game before any other moves can be made. The checker re-enters on the opponent's home board (points 19–24 from your perspective). You roll the dice and enter on the corresponding point — for example, rolling a 3 lets your checker enter on the opponent's 3-point (your 22-point).
If all of the possible entry points are blocked by your opponent (two or more of their checkers), you lose your turn entirely. This is why building a strong home board is such a powerful strategy — it can trap your opponent's checkers on the bar!
Bearing Off & Winning
Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board (points 1–6), you can start bearing off — removing checkers from the board entirely. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game.
Bearing Off Rules
Types of Wins
- Single game: Your opponent has borne off at least one checker
- Gammon (double win): Your opponent hasn't borne off any checkers
- Backgammon (triple win): Your opponent hasn't borne off any checkers AND still has a checker on the bar or in your home board
The Doubling Cube
The doubling cube is an optional but widely used element that adds a layer of gambling-style tension to backgammon. It's a die marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64.
At the start of the game, the doubling cube sits in the middle at 1 (implied). Before rolling the dice on your turn, you may propose to double the stakes. Your opponent can either accept the double (and the game is now worth twice as much) or decline and concede the game immediately at the current stakes.
Once a player accepts a double, only they can propose the next double. This creates a fascinating strategic dynamic — knowing when to double, when to accept, and when to drop is a skill that separates good players from great ones.
Beginner Strategy Tips
Now that you know the rules, here are some essential strategies to elevate your game from day one:
Shop Beautiful Backgammon Sets
Ready to play? Explore our collection of modern, beautifully designed backgammon sets — from luxe coffee table editions to portable travel sets that go anywhere you do.
More to Explore
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