Backgammon Rules – And How To Play Backgammon Rules – And How To Play You are here: Home / Learn / Backgammon Rules and Terms / Backgammon Rules – And How To Play Backgammon Rules – And How To Play 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 . Figure 1. A board with the checkers in their initial position. An alternate arrangement is the reverse of the one shown here, with the home board on the left and the outer board on the right. The points are numbered for either player starting in that player’s home board. The outermost point is the twenty-four point, which is also the opponent’s one point. Each player has fifteen checkers of his own color.

The initial arrangement of checkers is: two on each player’s twenty-four point, five on each player’s thirteen point, three on each player’s eight point, and five on each player’s six point. Both players have their own pair of dice and a dice cup used for shaking. A doubling cube , with the numerals 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on its faces, is used to keep track of the current stake of the game. Object of the Game The object of the game is move all your checkers into your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins the game. Figure 2. Direction of movement of White’s checkers. Red’s checkers move in the opposite direction. Movement of the Checkers To start the game, each player throws a single die. This determines both the player to go first and the numbers to be played. If equal numbers come up, then both players roll again until they roll different numbers. The player throwing the higher number now moves his checkers according to the numbers showing on both dice.

After the first roll, the players throw two dice and alternate turns.The roll of the dice indicates how many points, or pips , the player is to move his checkers. The checkers are always moved forward, to a lower-numbered point. The following rules apply: A checker may be moved only to an open point , one that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers. The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves. For example, if a player rolls 5 and 3, he may move one checker five spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or he may move the one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point (either three or five spaces from the starting point) is also open. Figure 3. Two ways that White can play a roll of . A player who rolls doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice. A roll of 6 and 6 means that the player has four sixes to use, and he may move any combination of checkers he feels appropriate to complete this requirement. A player must use both numbers of a roll if this is legally possible (or all four numbers of a double).

When only one number can be played, the player must play that number. Or if either number can be played but not both, the player must play the larger one. When neither number can be used, the player loses his turn. In the case of doubles, when all four numbers cannot be played, the player must play as many numbers as he can. Hitting and Entering A point occupied by a single checker of either color is called a blot . If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar .Any time a player has one or more checkers on the bar, his first obligation is to enter those checker(s) into the opposing home board. A checker is entered by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the rolled dice.For example, if a player rolls 4 and 6, he may enter a checker onto either the opponent’s four point or six point, so long as the prospective point is not occupied by two or more of the opponent’s checkers. Figure 4. If White rolls with a checker on the bar, he must enter the checker onto Red’s four point since Red’s six point is not open.

If neither of the points is open, the player loses his turn. If a player is able to enter some but not all of his checkers, he must enter as many as he can and then forfeit the remainder of his turn.After the last of a player’s checkers has been entered, any unused numbers on the dice must be played, by moving either the checker that was entered or a different checker. Bearing Off Once a player has moved all of his fifteen checkers into his home board, he may commence bearing off . A player bears off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which the checker resides, and then removing that checker from the board. Thus, rolling a 6 permits the player to remove a checker from the six point.If there is no checker on the point indicated by the roll, the player must make a legal move using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no checkers on higher-numbered points, the player is permitted (and required) to remove a checker from the highest point on which one of his checkers resides. A player is under no obligation to bear off if he can make an otherwise legal move. Figure 5. White rolls and bears off two checkers.

A player must have all of his active checkers in his home board in order to bear off. If a checker is hit during the bear-off process, the player must bring that checker back to his home board before continuing to bear off. The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game. Doubling Backgammon is played for an agreed stake per point. Each game starts at one point. During the course of the game, a player who feels he has a sufficient advantage may propose doubling the stakes. He may do this only at the start of his own turn and before he has rolled the dice.A player who is offered a double may refuse , in which case he concedes the game and pays one point. Otherwise, he must accept the double and play on for the new higher stakes. A player who accepts a double becomes the owner of the cube and only he may make the next double.Subsequent doubles in the same game are called redoubles . If a player refuses a redouble, he must pay the number of points that were at stake prior to the redouble. Otherwise, he becomes the new owner of the cube and the game continues at twice the previous stakes. There is no limit to the number of redoubles in a game.

Gammons and Backgammons At the end of the game, if the losing player has borne off at least one checker, he loses only the value showing on the doubling cube (one point, if there have been no doubles). However, if the loser has not borne off any of his checkers, he is gammoned and loses twice the value of the doubling cube. Or, worse, if the loser has not borne off any of his checkers and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner’s home board, he is backgammoned and loses three times the value of the doubling cube. Optional Rules The following optional rules are in widespread use. Automatic doubles. If identical numbers are thrown on the first roll, the stakes are doubled. The doubling cube is turned to 2 and remains in the middle. Players usually agree to limit the number of automatic doubles to one per game. Beavers. When a player is doubled, he may immediately redouble (beaver) while retaining possession of the cube. The original doubler has the option of accepting or refusing as with a normal double. The Jacoby Rule. Gammons and backgammons count only as a single game if neither player has offered a double during the course of the game.

This rule speeds up play by eliminating situations where a player avoids doubling so he can play on for a gammon. Irregularities The dice must be rolled together and land flat on the surface of the right-hand section of the board. The player must reroll both dice if a die lands outside the right-hand board, or lands on a checker, or does not land flat. A turn is completed when the player picks up his dice. If the play is incomplete or otherwise illegal, the opponent has the option of accepting the play as made or of requiring the player to make a legal play. A play is deemed to have been accepted as made when the opponent rolls his dice or offers a double to start his own turn. If a player rolls before his opponent has completed his turn by picking up the dice, the player’s roll is voided. This rule is generally waived any time a play is forced or when there is no further contact between the opposing forces. Backgammon Rules Rules of Backgammon Setup 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 . Figure 1. A board with the checkers in their initial position. An alternate arrangement is the reverse of the one shown here, with the home board on the left and the outer board on the right. The points are numbered for either player starting in that player's home board. The outermost point is the twenty-four point, which is also the opponent's one point. Each player has fifteen checkers of his own color. The initial arrangement of checkers is: two on each player's twenty-four point, five on each player's thirteen point, three on each player's eight point, and five on each player's six point. Both players have their own pair of dice and a dice cup used for shaking. A doubling cube , with the numerals 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on its faces, is used to keep track of the current stake of the game.

Object of the Game The object of the game is move all your checkers into your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins the game. Figure 2. Direction of movement of White's checkers. Red's checkers move in the opposite direction. Movement of the Checkers To start the game, each player throws a single die. This determines both the player to go first and the numbers to be played. If equal numbers come up, then both players roll again until they roll different numbers. The player throwing the higher number now moves his checkers according to the numbers showing on both dice. After the first roll, the players throw two dice and alternate turns. The roll of the dice indicates how many points, or pips , the player is to move his checkers. The checkers are always moved forward, to a lower-numbered point. The following rules apply: A checker may be moved only to an open point , one that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers. The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves.

For example, if a player rolls 5 and 3, he may move one checker five spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or he may move the one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point (either three or five spaces from the starting point) is also open. Figure 3. Two ways that White can play a roll of . A player who rolls doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice. A roll of 6 and 6 means that the player has four sixes to use, and he may move any combination of checkers he feels appropriate to complete this requirement. A player must use both numbers of a roll if this is legally possible (or all four numbers of a double). When only one number can be played, the player must play that number. Or if either number can be played but not both, the player must play the larger one. When neither number can be used, the player loses his turn. In the case of doubles, when all four numbers cannot be played, the player must play as many numbers as he can. Hitting and Entering A point occupied by a single checker of either color is called a blot .

If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar . Any time a player has one or more checkers on the bar, his first obligation is to enter those checker(s) into the opposing home board. A checker is entered by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the rolled dice. For example, if a player rolls 4 and 6, he may enter a checker onto either the opponent's four point or six point, so long as the prospective point is not occupied by two or more of the opponent's checkers. Figure 4. If White rolls with a checker on the bar, he must enter the checker onto Red's four point since Red's six point is not open. If neither of the points is open, the player loses his turn. If a player is able to enter some but not all of his checkers, he must enter as many as he can and then forfeit the remainder of his turn. After the last of a player's checkers has been entered, any unused numbers on the dice must be played, by moving either the checker that was entered or a different checker.

Bearing Off Once a player has moved all of his fifteen checkers into his home board, he may commence bearing off . A player bears off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which the checker resides, and then removing that checker from the board. Thus, rolling a 6 permits the player to remove a checker from the six point. If there is no checker on the point indicated by the roll, the player must make a legal move using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no checkers on higher-numbered points, the player is permitted (and required) to remove a checker from the highest point on which one of his checkers resides. A player is under no obligation to bear off if he can make an otherwise legal move. Figure 5. White rolls and bears off two checkers. A player must have all of his active checkers in his home board in order to bear off. If a checker is hit during the bear-off process, the player must bring that checker back to his home board before continuing to bear off. The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game. Doubling Backgammon is played for an agreed stake per point. Each game starts at one point.

During the course of the game, a player who feels he has a sufficient advantage may propose doubling the stakes. He may do this only at the start of his own turn and before he has rolled the dice. A player who is offered a double may refuse , in which case he concedes the game and pays one point. Otherwise, he must accept the double and play on for the new higher stakes. A player who accepts a double becomes the owner of the cube and only he may make the next double. Subsequent doubles in the same game are called redoubles . If a player refuses a redouble, he must pay the number of points that were at stake prior to the redouble. Otherwise, he becomes the new owner of the cube and the game continues at twice the previous stakes. There is no limit to the number of redoubles in a game. Gammons and Backgammons At the end of the game, if the losing player has borne off at least one checker, he loses only the value showing on the doubling cube (one point, if there have been no doubles). However, if the loser has not borne off any of his checkers, he is gammoned and loses twice the value of the doubling cube.

Or, worse, if the loser has not borne off any of his checkers and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, he is backgammoned and loses three times the value of the doubling cube. Optional Rules The following optional rules are in widespread use. Automatic doubles. If identical numbers are thrown on the first roll, the stakes are doubled. The doubling cube is turned to 2 and remains in the middle. Players usually agree to limit the number of automatic doubles to one per game. Beavers. When a player is doubled, he may immediately redouble (beaver) while retaining possession of the cube. The original doubler has the option of accepting or refusing as with a normal double. The Jacoby Rule. Gammons and backgammons count only as a single game if neither player has offered a double during the course of the game. This rule speeds up play by eliminating situations where a player avoids doubling so he can play on for a gammon. Irregularities The dice must be rolled together and land flat on the surface of the right-hand section of the board. The player must reroll both dice if a die lands outside the right-hand board, or lands on a checker, or does not land flat.

A turn is completed when the player picks up his dice. If the play is incomplete or otherwise illegal, the opponent has the option of accepting the play as made or of requiring the player to make a legal play. A play is deemed to have been accepted as made when the opponent rolls his dice or offers a double to start his own turn. If a player rolls before his opponent has completed his turn by picking up the dice, the player's roll is voided. This rule is generally waived any time a play is forced or when there is no further contact between the opposing forces. GAMMONLIFE–BACKGAMMON RULES by Michael Strato Introduction There are many differant games one can play on a backgammon board, each with its own set of backgammon rules and different starting positions, but “standard backgammon” is the international version played at live backgammon tournaments worldwide, and on most Internet backgammon play sites. Read these Backgammon Rules and you will quickly learn how to play this wonderful board game of skill and luck. Information on other games that can be played on a backgammon board are found in GammonLife’s Variants Section .

The Rules of Backgammon Backgammon is a game played between two opposing sides on a board marked with 24 triangles called “points”. Each side has 15 checkers of a different colour that move in opposite directions counting the points as spaces according to the numbers rolled by a pair of dice. The player first to get his checkers around, and then off the board, wins the game. In addition to their checkers, each player has a pair of dice and a dice cup (to shake and toss the dice). There is also a doubling cube which is initially placed in the middle of the tray on one side of the board. This cube is marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 and is used for doubling the stakes in a game. Setting Up The Board The backgammon board consists of four sections (quadrants) of six points each - the points in backgammon are also known as “pips”. The vertical strip down the middle of the board is called the “bar” and it is where checkers are placed after they are “hit” or "sent back" .

The set up of the board, the numbers of each point and the names of the four quadrants are shown below: The board may also be set up in the reverse position of the above, like this: Backgammon players should learn to play using both starting positions and please note that real backgammon boards do not come marked with the numbers of the points, names of the quadrants nor the word "Bar". The next two diagrams show the direction each player moves his checkers: As can be seen, the players move their checkers against each other in opposite directions, clockwise and counter-clockwise, leading to encounters along the way. Starting a Game – Moving the Checkers To start a game, the players toss only one die each and the player with the higher number must make the first move using both numbers of what is called the “opening roll”. However, if the players toss the same number, they must roll a single die again until they do roll different numbers. After the opening roll, players alternate turns by rolling a pair of dice. To roll the dice, a player shakes them in the cup several times and then tosses them onto his right-hand side of board from a reasonable height so that they bounce and roll.

The dice must land flatly on the surface of board for the roll to be valid. If the dice are “cocked”, leaning on one of their edges against a checker or against the inside wall of the board, the roll does not count and must be repeated. The roll is also repeated if one or both dice land on top of a checker and stay there, or if one or both dice bounce anywhere out of the right side of the board. If the dice land in between checkers, as long as they have come to rest flatly on the surface of board, the roll is considered valid. A player’s furthest checkers are on his 24 point in his opponent’s home board and these and all his other checkers must move in descending numerical order towards the 1 point. When a player has two or more checkers on a triangle he is said to own that point, and his opponent may not land on these “closed or made points” nor use them in moving the numbers of his dice roll. Thus a player’s checkers can only land on unoccupied points or those he already owns.

(There is no limit to how many checkers a player may have on any point.) And to be more precise, a player must use the exact numbers showing on the dice roll as moves. One checker can use both numbers, but as separate moves, or different checkers can use each number separately. Therefore, if a player has a 2 and 3 to play, even though there might be an unoccupied point five spaces away from one of his checkers, that particular checker cannot be moved if his opponent owns the two points that are 2 and 3 spaces away from his checker since both numbers are blocked. However, all numbers rolled must be played if possible, so he must try his moves with his other checkers elsewhere on the board. When a player rolls the same number on both dies, such as a 5 and a 5, it is called a “doublet” or “double”, and the player gets to play that number four times instead of just two – he may move as many of the four as possible with any combination of his checkers. Due to blocked points, on any roll, a player will sometimes be able to use only one of the numbers showing on the dice and in some cases neither.

However, in a case where he can use one or the other but is then blocked to move the second number, the higher number must be played. When a player leaves a checker alone on a point, it becomes a “blot”, and if the opponent rolls the right number or combination of numbers, he has the option to ”hit” or “send back” one or more blots, although he may choose not to hit at all if there a more strategic play available. When a player hits a blot, he must lift the checker off the point and place it on the vertical “bar” in the centre of the board. Then, on the next roll, the opponent must try to “re-enter" and “re-circulate” the checker, playing it back onto the board from the bar by counting in from the 24 point. One can only re-enter, or "come down" from the bar, onto “open points” in an opponent’s home board. If one does not roll the number(s) of an open point(s), he may not play his dice rolls with other checkers elsewhere on the board.

In the case where an opponent has filled in all six of his home board points, the player on the bar is “closed out” and does not get to roll again until his opponent does open a point he can enter on. Please note that it is impossible that both players get closed out on the bar and that there are no draws or stalemates in backgammon. Owning points is good strategy, and when a player makes several consecutive points in a row anywhere on the board it is called a “prime”. Primes can hinder a player from getting his checkers home while his opponent advances his own army forward. However, the shorter the prime the easier it is for an opponent to roll numbers that jump over a prime. The best is a six-point prime which is impassable although a player may continue to move other checkers not being blocked by the six-point prime, unless, as explained above, the player has one or more checkers on the bar and the six points of a home board are closed. The Bear Off Process Once all 15 checkers are inside the home board a player begins to bear them off according to the rolls of the dice.

A checker on the 6 point can be removed with a 6 on a dice roll, one from the 5 point with a 5, and so forth. Here is where doublets can come in handy to win the race as there are times when a player will be able to bear off four checkers on a single roll. If for example, while bearing off, a player has rolled a 5 but no longer has any checkers on the 5 point, but does have one or more checkers on his 6 point, he must move the 5 from his 6 point over to his 1 point. If he has no checkers on either the 5 or 6 point and has rolled a 5, or even a 6 for that matter, he is allowed to remove a checker from the next lower point where checkers remain. If a player still has checkers in the home board of one who is bearing off, or that player is still on the bar, the one bearing off should attempt to make moves that do not leave blots.

If a blot is exposed and is hit by an opponent, the bear off is delayed until the checker that has been hit re-circulates from the bar into his opponent’s home board on the other side of the board and back around into his own home board - in other words, one must have all his checkers in his homeboard in order to continue bearing off. To further explain the above, if a player has two checkers on his 6 point and two on his 5 point and he rolls a 6-5, if his opponent is waiting on the 2 point for a blot to open, the player does not have to bear off one checker from the 5 point and another from the 6 point for this will leave two blots. To avoid being hit, it is perfectly legal to bear off one from the 6 point and move the other one on the 6 point with the 5 of the dice roll over to the 1 point.

When bearing off, a beginner player may sometimes arrive at a position where it appears as if he has to move both the numbers of his roll inside his board without taking a checker off, but that depends on the position – if a player has four checkers left to bear off, one on each of his 1, 2, 5 and 6 points, and the player rolls a 4 and a 3, no checker comes off, the player must move the 4 and 3 using the checkers on his 5 and 6 point. However, if a player has, for example, two checkers on his 1 point, two on his 3 point and one on his 6 point, and rolls a 5-2, he does not have to play the 5 from the 6 point to the 1 point and then the 2 from his 3 point to his 1 point. Instead, he may first play the 2, from his 6 point to his 4 point, and then bear the checker off from his 4 point using the 5 of the dice roll. Scoring The first player to bear off all his checkers wins the game.

However, if an opponent fails to bear off at least one checker from his home board or is caught with one or more checkers still outside his home board, in the outer board areas, the winner scores a “gammon”. A gammon is worth twice the points or stakes being played for in “match play”, a series of games played up to a certain number of points, or, twice the current wager in a “money game”, a series of single games played at predefined stakes. If the winner has removed all his checkers and his opponent still has one or more checkers in the winner’s home board, or on the bar, the winner scores a ”backgammon”, which is worth triple the number of points or current wager. The Doubling Cube The doubling cube is used to raise the stakes in a game. It has six sides individually marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 on its faces. It is not used in a 1-point match, or single game, unless one is playing a money game.

Anytime after the opening roll in match play, and before he rolls his dice, a player who believes he has an advantageous position may offer his opponent to play for twice the stakes. The doubler takes the cube from the centre of the tray and places it in the middle of the board with the number 2 face up and says “I double”. His opponent agrees to play on by saying “I take”, lifting the cube and placing it in the tray on his side of the board with the 2 showing face up. If the opponent refuses the cube, he says “I drop” or “I pass” and the current games ends with the doubler scoring the win. If a player who has accepted a cube wishes to re-double his opponent later in the game, the cube is offered back at 4 and if taken can be re-offered later by the original doubler at 8, and so on. But for example, if the players are in a 7-point match there is no need to double higher than 8, since 8 points will end a 7-point match in the current game.

If for example, the players are tied 3-3 in the score of a 7-point match, there is no need to double higher than 4. However, the cube may go up to 16, 32 or 64 in longer matches and in money games. When the cube has been used in a game that results in a gammon or backgammon, the winner gets wins twice (for a gammon) or three times (for a backgammon) the number of points showing on the cube. Therefore, in the example of a 7-point match, the match would end in one game if the cube reaches 4 since a gammon would be worth 8 points and a backgammon 12 points. The Crawford and Jacoby Rules There are a couple of additional rules regarding the doubling cube. In match play, the Crawford Rule states that when one of the players reaches a score where he is just one point away from winning the match, the doubling cube may not be used in the following game. However, if the leader does not win the match in that game, the doubling cube maybe be used by his opponent in all subsequent games until the end of the match.

In money games, the Jacoby Rule is an optional rule - players can agree to play with "the Jacoby" or not. When used, this rule states that when no cube has been offered in the money game, then gammons and backgammons do not count and do not scored as such. Improve Your Game Now that you know how to play backgammon get out your board and try a few games with friends or family members. If you wish to learn how to play the game better, sharpen your skills with the help of backgammon expert Paul Money in his GammonLife series called “Beginners Please” . Paul will tell you the best way to play the opening rolls, how to calculate odds and probabilities and much more. You can also get a free program called GNUBG that you can play against on your computer. In addition to a teaching feature, the program will also analyze your skill level and show you where you made errors. You may also use it to analyze yourself and others you play against on the Internet, if the server where you play allows you to save a "match file". To download the program and to learn how to use its many features please see Robert-Jan Veldhuizen's GNU Tutorial . .

Copyright © 2006-2011 by GammonLife.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, re-written, or re-distributed in any form. How to Play Backgammon – Yellow Mountain Imports © 2016 Yellow Mountain Imports. How to Play Backgammon Backgammon is one of the oldest board games with origins dating as far back as 3000 BC. It is a game of luck and strategy and popular around the world. Easy to learn and fun to play, it is no wonder why it has withstood the test of time and is played by so many people. The game is played by two players each, with fifteen checkers of his own color. Each player also has their own pair of dice and dice cup. A doubling cube with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 is used for tracking the stakes of the round. The board consists of 24 long triangles called points or pips. The triangles alternate in color and are divided into four quadrants of six triangles each.

The four quadrants are the player’s home board and outer board, and the opponent’s home board and outer board. The home boards and outer boards are separated by a divider down the middle referred to as the bar. The starting positions of the pieces are arranged as shown below. The points are numbered starting at 24 in the opponent’s home board and ending at 1 in the player’s own home board. The objective of the game is to move all of one’s own checkers to the home board and then remove (bear off) the pieces from the board entirely. The players move their checkers in opposing direction following a horseshoe path as illustrated. Gameplay To start the game, each player rolls a single die and the player with the higher number moves first using both numbers rolled. If both players roll the same number, the dice are rolled again until they roll different numbers. The players then alternate turns, rolling two dice at the beginning of each turn. The dice must always be rolled together and land flat on the right hand side of the game board. If it lands outside or on a checker the dice must be rolled again. Moving The dice roll determines how many points the player is supposed to move its checker.

The checker always moves forward following the horseshoe path towards the player’s home board. A point that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers is an open point. When moving a checker it may land only on an open point. The two dice constitute two separate movements. For example, if a player rolls a 6 and a 4, he may move one checker 6 spaces to an open point and another checker 4 spaces to an open point. The player may also choose to move the same checker twice, as long as each move is on to an open point. When a double is rolled the numbers on the dice are played twice. For example if a player rolls two fives, he may move his checkers five points, four times in any combination landing on open points. A player must move both numbers rolled if possible (four numbers if a double is rolled). If only one of the numbers can be played because only one open point is available, the player must play that number. If either number can be played but not both, then the larger number must be played. If neither number can be played then the player loses his turn.

If a player cannot play all four numbers in the case of a double, the player must play as many numbers as possible. Hitting An open point containing one opposing checker is a blot. When a checker is moved onto a blot, the blot is hit, and the opposing checker that has been hit is placed on the bar. When a player has one or more checkers on the bar he must first re-enter them onto the opponent’s home board. A checker enters by rolling two dice and moving it to the corresponding point of one of the numbers on the opponent’s home board. If the checker(s) on the bar cannot enter onto an open point, the player loses his turn and the checker(s) remains on the bar. A player cannot move any other piece until all his checkers are off the bar. If a player is able to enter some but not all of his checkers off the bar, his turn is finished. If a player’s checker(s) have been moved off the bar, any unused number must be played. Bearing Off When all of a player’s checkers are in his home board, he can begin a process of removing them called bearing off. This is done by rolling a number corresponding to a point with a checker residing on it.

If no checker can bear off with the number(s) rolled, the player must make a legal move(s) with a checker(s) from a higher point. If there are no checkers on higher number points, then the player bears off with a checker from the next highest point. Doubling A doubling cube is used to increase the stakes at any point in the game. At the start of the game the doubling cube is placed on the bar with 64 facing upwards. Before the roll on a player’s turn, that player may propose to double the current stakes. The opponent either accepts (takes) the doubled stakes or resigns (drops) and loses the match and the current stakes. If the opponent takes he becomes the owner of the cube and the cube is turned over so that 2 is facing upwards. Thereafter only the owner of the cube has the right to propose to double the stakes again (redouble). If the opponent takes, the ownership of the cube is passed over to him and this process can continue on from 4 to 8 and onwards. There are no limits to redoubles even though the highest number on the cube is 64.

Gammon and Backgammon At the end of the game, if a person has borne off all fifteen of his checkers and the opponent has borne off at least one checker, that person wins the current stake. If the opponent has not borne off any checkers, then the opponent loses a gammon and loses double the current stakes. If the opponent has not borne off any checkers and still has one or more checkers on the bar, the opponent loses a backgammon, and loses triple the current stakes. © 2015 Yellow Mountain Imports, Inc. Backgammon Free - Android Apps on Google Play Backgammon Free ★ Top Developer (awarded 2013 / 2015) ★ Backgammon Free is the best free Backgammon game on Android! Backgammon is a game of skill and strategy and one of the world's classic parlour games, played for recreation and as a gambling game. Like Mahjong, this is a game that is played in social groups in coffee houses and bars. Historically variants of this game are believed to have originated in Egypt over 3000 years ago, but was picked up by the Romans and then later to India.

It also spread to east Asia, but was then largely replaced by Xiangqi (Chinese chess). It is now very popular in the west. Features: -- Full match play + doubling cube -- 3 Boards and piece sets -- Hints, 2 player hotseat and stats -- Supports touch screen/trackerball -- Designed for both Tablet and Phone This free version is supported by 3rd party ads. Ads may use internet connectivity, and therefore subsequent data charges may apply. The photos/media/files permission is required to allow the game to save game data to external storage, and is sometimes used to cache ads. *Does it cheat? See "CPU Strategy" page + Manual Dice option (use real-world dice) to prove to yourself that it doesn't* Read more 1 10,709 Derrick Trimble Can't find better I've played this game app for over three years. Over the hundreds of games CPU and I have played, the stats indicate a real world balance of first rolls, doubles, and hits. I've tried other apps, only to be awarded consistent gammons/backgammons If you play the top level you can expect a lot of opponent doubles, perfectly needed rolls, and unbelievable good luck bearing off.

The reason is to make you a better player when the odds are against you. Overall I stay ahead by a slim margin, but I work for it. Elsa Bock Strategies to win - Love it! You'll find that the doubling cube can control your winning strategy. As soon as you double the computer works harder. Play with the difficulty levels and number of games to the match to find what suits you for each session. Warm up at easy level and work up! No super intrusive advertising interrupting your game. Yahoo! Dice doubles sometimes are better for opponent but next game reverses. Enjoy! Excellent game! Nicholas Lamb Great game but the dice are loaded! This is an excellent game however I've also played thousands of games both in person and against computers (Jellyfish) but this app constantly and consistantly rolls the perfect throw when the odds are against me. Conversly, I've just played a game where I threw a double 4, 5 times in a row.. That's not normal or random. I've read all the other reviews about the dice and it definately makes me think somethings up regardless of what the developers say. Overall a good app though.

Andrew Thompson Ok, but not a great AI The game works well and is easy to use. However the AI is not a high level. There appears not to be an opening book because it makes some awful first moves, e.g 13 - 8 on a 4,1... Even on the highest level. Also accepts doubles too easily, even when I had 4 left against 3, meaning I had 31 chances in 36 to win, it accepted instead of declining. Would love to debug the algorithm. wilfredo colon Not a bad company after all New version is no better than older version. No observable improvements are apparent. PRNG still produces bias. And, company denies claims. Bias is unavoidable. Company still makes denials. Their own statistics counter records the bias for thousands of games at level 5. Block testing hides biases. Sequential tests are required to prove randomness. My bet is that AI did not develop this engine as its strategy is no different than any other game on the market. Gary Adams Unluckiest Person in World You claim rolls are random then I must be the unluckiest person in the world.

When there was only one open point where the opponent could get out he did 23 times in a roll. When removing 5 men to his none they roll doubles 8 times catches up and win three times. Random? User reviews Derrick Trimble January 13, 2017 Can't find better I've played this game app for over three years. Over the hundreds of games CPU and I have played, the stats indicate a real world balance of first rolls, doubles, and hits. I've tried other apps, only to be awarded consistent gammons/backgammons If you play the top level you can expect a lot of opponent doubles, perfectly needed rolls, and unbelievable good luck bearing off. The reason is to make you a better player when the odds are against you. Overall I stay ahead by a slim margin, but I work for it. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 14, 2016 Thank you for letting us know how you feel but we assure you that the dice are not loaded. We create games with total integrity, with some used in serious academic research and licenced to other companies.

With 400,000 games played each day, sometimes there will be unlikely sequences in the random rolls.See Andrew Thompson November 23, 2016 Ok, but not a great AI The game works well and is easy to use. However the AI is not a high level. There appears not to be an opening book because it makes some awful first moves, e.g 13 - 8 on a 4,1... Even on the highest level. Also accepts doubles too easily, even when I had 4 left against 3, meaning I had 31 chances in 36 to win, it accepted instead of declining. Would love to debug the algorithm. Full Review AI Factory Limited November 24, 2016 Thank you for your report. We fully acknowledge that there are defects in the AI strategy and we plan to improve these areas later. Unfortunately we're a very small, very busy team so we can't give a timeline. wilfredo colon December 1, 2016 Not a bad company after all New version is no better than older version. No observable improvements are apparent. PRNG still produces bias. And, company denies claims. Bias is unavoidable.

Company still makes denials. Their own statistics counter records the bias for thousands of games at level 5. Block testing hides biases. Sequential tests are required to prove randomness. My bet is that AI did not develop this engine as its strategy is no different than any other game on the market. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 2, 2016 Thank you for your review. We create games with total integrity and our apps are extensively tested for true randomness over millions of games. We plan to add analytics for doubles thrown during future development but we are a very small, very busy team so can't give a timeline for adding any new features. Gary Adams December 24, 2016 Unluckiest Person in World You claim rolls are random then I must be the unluckiest person in the world. When there was only one open point where the opponent could get out he did 23 times in a roll. When removing 5 men to his none they roll doubles 8 times catches up and win three times. Random? Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 We apologise for your frustration but dice rolls really are completely random.

With 200,000 users playing 400,000 games per day, 100s would appear to see unlikely results from random rolls. If rolls were actually biased we might have 1000s of complaints per day, but we do not. We have no interest in unfair play. Toby Manuele December 31, 2016 Rigged despite game creators claims If you play level 3+ enough you can't miss the perfect dice rolls and 2-3x the doubles the cpu gets. A poor design that passes progressively more cheating as "difficultly". Its free and slick looking but not worth the frustration. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 Thank you for the input but we assure you that our games are not rigged. Higher cpu levels use more advanced probability to choose moves to cover all roll possibilities. Doubles will even out in Statistics over extended play. Please see for more info. We simply have nothing to gain from unfair play. Beth Mohr January 17, 2017 Fun, but CPU cheats like crazy. UPDATE: CPU will give itself one set of doubles after another to win.

Otherwise works well and is a good way to learn the game. UPDATE: After playing for a month or so, I have a better sample size. The combined stats for levels 1 and 2 gave the CPU 2367 doubles, and me 1443. Not what I'd expect over time if the dice reflect real world rolls. Perhaps the underlying random number generator is flawed. Anyway, still the best backgammon I've found for free. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 18, 2017 Thank you for the report however our games do not cheat, and we have tested and re-tested to check if our random numbers are broken, which they are not. We have nothing to gain from unfair play. Please send the stats file from "AI Factory Stats" folder to support@aifactory.co.uk so we can assess what might be happening. December 20, 2016 Biased If you play levels 5+, the game is heavily biased in favor of cpu. He wins at least 7/10 starting rolls, and if you have an open pip, he will roll the necessary count to hit you more (much more) often than not.

Additionally, his rolls get him off the bar much more quickly than yours will. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 Thank you for your input however our games are not biased. Dice rolls are absolutely random at all levels and level 5 cpu player uses probability to choose good moves so it can best use whatever might be rolled next. If you check Statistics, first dice rolls won will even out over enough play. Please see A Google User December 17, 2016 Just like concrete spades and hearts. Dice rolls obvious. Will never roll like this in real life. Figured out how it cheats, the rolls will increase in value for the computer towards the end. Also found out it will roll the number for you where you dont have pips, when going out. FYI, there is no such thing as a true random number generator. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 20, 2016 Thank you for your review however our games really do not cheat. All dice rolls are strictly random, determined by a random number generator based on your device time in milliseconds, but people are very good at seeing patterns in randomness. Please see for more info. We have no interest in unfair play.

Nancy S. December 18, 2016 CPU is a wimp At level 5, the CPU still plays a running game, very defensive and somewhat boring. It also magically seems to get just the right dice roll at just the right time to save itself. Almost without fail, it will get the roll it needs to hit my piece. This happens repeatedly whenever I have to leave one open. Every. Time. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 20, 2016 Thank you for your review. We agree that strategy can be improved and plan to work on this later. However dice rolls are absolutely random, so cpu player may seem to get just the rolls it needs as it chooses good moves to be able to use any rolls. Either side can also have lucky streaks anytime. Please see Michael Crofton-Atkins January 7, 2017 Much improved! Like it now. Level 1-4 are a bit too easy. 5 gets more challenging (because the CPU gets a little too many doubles) but once one starts beating it at level 5, it becomes boring. Needs more levels, but with more realistic dice rolls.

One can switch to physical dice, but what's the point. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 20, 2016 Thank you for letting us know how you feel but none of our games cheat. As dice rolls are strictly random and 200,000 people play 400,000 games daily, it is very likely that some players will see unlikely squences of rolls at times, including multiple doubles. Please see for more info on dice rolls. Martyn Esse January 10, 2017 Ending doubles Despite programmers claims, its pretty obvious, always CPU throws doubles in last couple of throws of bearing off... Needs a proper random engine.. Definitely CPU throws increased doubles at level 5 bear off. This may be some way of making game harder to win but is not really correct way of doing this. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 10, 2017 Thank you for the feedback. We have tested at length and a third party has gone through our code in great detail: dice rolls really are random, determined by a random number generator based on your device time in milliseconds.

Cpu difficulty level is increased by using probability to choose better moves to cover all roll possibilities. Dennis B January 7, 2017 Extremely buggy After many months of playing i can confirm there is an issue with the dice. Every now and then i'll throw the dice several times and get the same numbers repeatedly, very noticeable when it's doubles. The dice seem to get stuck into a loop for three or four throws. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 9, 2017 Thank you for your feedback. Our apps are extensively tested for true randomness and examined at source level by 3rd parties as well as being licenced to other companies. Dice rolls really are random so players may sometimes see unlikely sequences of dice rolls. Please see for more info. Neil Bryan January 7, 2017 Definitely loaded Lovely free game. Well put together and the likes buuuut... CPU has one space to come on the board, hits it every time or at least 9/10. Me on the other hand.. CPU had 6 and 2 covered only... how many times did I roll a 6 and 2...9 times.

So come on whilst you can say it's used in research, it's not rigged etc.. there really is an element of favouritism toward the CPU. I've played thousands of live games and this really does go against the odds. It's usually when playing the CPU on the hardest setting. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 9, 2017 Thank you for the input but our games are very definitely not loaded. Dice rolls are completely random so highest level cpu player may appear to get better rolls because it uses probability to choose better moves to set itself up to use anything that might be rolled next. Please see for a fuller explanation Jeaux Bleaux December 18, 2016 Dumps you out to the play store constantly. The number and frequency of ads is ridiculous. I don't care for being interrupted during my roll by some silly-ass marketer that thinks I need to suddenly visit the play store to see an ad for an out-of-state pizza delivery service. Otherwise the game has a good interface and game play. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 20, 2016 We apologise that you had this experience. Ads should not be taking you out of the game without being tapped.

We work hard to try and block any unacceptable and intrusive ads but ad networks send too many each day to check. Please contact support@aifactory.co.uk to help us track down and block any problem cases. Thank you for your help. JD Kunz November 29, 2016 Plays like it read "Backgammon For Blood" Learning that the random number generator is based on my device's clock's milliseconds at the time of the roll really reassured me that it is as impartial as possible. I certainly found it to be so. ^θ^ At difficulty 4 and 5 it was like playing against someone who read the book on aggressive betting and playing the odds... like myself. I think I've found a keeper! Full Review AI Factory Limited January 9, 2017 We apologise for your frustration however our games are NOT biased. Dice rolls are strictly random at all levels so unlikely sequences of rolls may happen at any time for either player. Please see for a fuller explanation. We create games with total integrity and have absolutely no interest in unfair play. Michael Hutton January 7, 2017 Good game. Would love to see more statistics.

Also a tutorial game setting which would show what the cpu would do. How does this engine compare against other AIs? Eg jellyfish. Not quite sure I like the menu presentation but that is a bit irrelevant. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 19, 2017 Thank you for your input but none of our games cheat. Dice rolls really are random so unlikely sequences of rolls including multiple doubles may be seen at times. Top cpu players choose moves to be able to use any rolls so can seem to be getting the right numbers. Both sides can also have lucky streaks. See Adam Kelly December 9, 2016 AI dice rolls are NOT random! Soooo many doubles in a row! The last game I played (before I got fed up and uninstalled) the AI got 5 doubles in a row. Ha! It happens all the time, but only when I select lev 4 or 5 AIs. The odds of someone rolling that so often are simply ridiculous. Almost impossible. Such a shame because I enjoyed this game until this. =( With that being said, I gave you an extra couple of stars because you helped me to learn how to play backgammon!

Full Review AI Factory Limited December 12, 2016 Thank you for your review however dice rolls really are random, so either player can have multiple doubles at any time which will even out in Statistics over enough play. People are very good at seeing patterns in randomness as helps to explain. December 24, 2016 Good for beginners Good conceptual app for learning the game of backgammon and for brushing up on rules for those like me who haven't played in a few years. It's backgammon, so if you're looking for bells and whistles, then you're playing the wrong game. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 Thank you for your review. Our apps are extensively tested for true randomness and examined at source level by 3rd parties as well as being licenced to other companies so we have no interest in unfair play. Random rolls do not mean that both sides will have equal doubles in each game but they will even out over enough play. Hunt Richardson December 7, 2016 I've played backgammon for 45 years and have used several online and app versions.

This game is more intelligent and the rolls are more random than any other AI version I've played with. Going to keep using it until I think otherwise! Nice! Full Review AI Factory Limited December 14, 2016 Thank you for your review however dice rolls really are completely random at all levels. Cpu player may seem to get exactly the dice rolls it needs at level 5 because it uses probability to choose its moves well and set itself up to be able to use whatever might be rolled next. Please see for more info. Martin Richardson December 23, 2016 Too easy to treble Like the game. However, puzzled as to why the Cpu does not move all the pieces out of the start area to avoid backgammon and limit the damage to a mere gammon. Bit like a parent deliberately losing a game with a child. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 Thank you for your report. We fully acknowledge that there are defects in the AI strategy and we plan to rectify these later. Allan Waldholz January 18, 2017 Your defensive comments are as predictable as your AI.

Apparently your programmers suck at backgammon as I beat your game most of the time either way. Cheating and repeatative responses are all you have. What do you have to gain by unfair game play? Keeping players from leaving and losing advertising sponsorship (which=$ for you). It's quite adorable how hard you try to sound reasonable, and plead like a wee little baby, absolutely cute. Now, give this big bad player one of those cutesy repetitive defensive responses... Adorable, simply adorable! Full Review AI Factory Limited January 19, 2017 Thank you for the feedback but dice rolls really are absolutely random. Our apps are extensively tested for true randomness and examined at source level by 3rd parties as well as being licenced to other companies, so unfair play is not an option. Please see for more information. January 9, 2017 As time passes, ads increase The ads in this version are too distracting, as are the move suggestions.

I prefer the 4-year-old version I had on my old phone, maybe I can restore it from a backup Full Review AI Factory Limited January 10, 2017 One full screen ad may show between games so that they don't disrupt play, and unobtrusive banner ads show in-game. If you see multiple popup ads, popups mid-game, disruptive ads or any other ad issue, please contact support@aifactory.co.uk to help us track down and block them. Alternatively the app store has a low cost paid version with no ads. A Google User December 6, 2016 Basic Amature Player.... Nice interface. Knows the rules. Dice are fair. (It gets lucky at times just like humans do) No knowledge of strategy or positioning. Plays average beginner game at highest level (rating about 1200, when 1500 is average). Conservative game play, so does not often get gammoned. Accepts bad doubles. Has weak end game. (Don't let it auto bear off if it might matter in the game). Most average players should be able to win over half of the matches at the highest level. Has quirks about when games count.

Full Review AI Factory Limited December 7, 2016 Thank you for your comments. We fully acknowledge that the AI strategy has some very obvious defects and we apologise for that. We plan to completely re-write the game engine at some point to rectify these. If statistics are not being recorded properly, please contact support@aifactory.co.uk so we can get some more details. Lesley Wilson December 12, 2016 CPU is favoured! :( I am 100% convinced this game is tilted in the computer's favour regardless of what the creators say. I can predict every dice roll based on how vulnerable my pieces are. When I decrease difficulty level to 1 or 2, CPU doesn't get as many fortuitous rolls. Up the difficulty and it gets every advantage. Every time. Clearly rigged. If it were more fair, I'd give this game a 5. Good interface. Full Review AI Factory Limited December 13, 2016 Thank you for letting us know how you feel but cpu player is not favoured: dice rolls really are random. Higher level cpu players simply use a greater knowledge of probability to choose good moves so they will be able to use whatever is rolled.

Please see for a fuller explanation. Nicole Simonds December 26, 2016 Funny how every time I have a single-standing tile the computer rolls the exact amount for its tile to nail me and send me to the beginning. Annoying and unfair! Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 We apologise for your frustration. Dice rolls really are random but cpu player can seem to get the exact rolls it needs because it uses probability to choose moves to set itself up to take best advantage of whatever might be rolled next. Please see for more info. Paul Pearson January 3, 2017 Game play is great, but despite the update mentioned above both the matches won/lost *and* rounds won/lost totals in the Statistics are off... I just played five matches and won four of them, but Statistics still shows my win/loss total as 2-1. AI Factory Limited January 4, 2017 If you're experiencing problems with the app, please contact support@aifactory.co.uk with more details. A Google User January 6, 2017 John M Four years since I first reviewed this game. The same criticisms remain.

The bear off strategy is poor, meaning that even on level 5 I win games which I shouldn't. Also it gives away gammons and backgammons unnecessarily. It would be good if it would offer "mercy doubles" so you don't have to play through a lost game (a human opponent would). Would like a stronger opponent at level 5 (75% match win rate to me). Gripes over. I still have the game and play it often Full Review AI Factory Limited January 9, 2017 Thank you for your report. We fully acknowledge that there are defects in the AI strategy and we expect to improve these areas later. We have added your "mercy doubles" suggestion for consideration on our to-do list. Yair Cohen January 15, 2017 Dice are not random It's poorly coded, the dice are not remotely random, every time your going to win, the computer gets double 6 or double 4. And 8 of 9 times the computer will get the exact dice to "eat" your open piece. Not recommend at all!

Full Review AI Factory Limited January 16, 2017 We apologise for your frustration however dice rolls really are random so can create lucky streaks for both players. People are also very good at seeing patterns in randomness. Top level cpu players use probability to set themselves up well to move their pieces and block yours. Please see for details. Anna Mae Altimus November 29, 2016 Great fun with predigest Good waste of time but never played a game where opponent got so many doubles in a row. The opponent is a computer so the computer controlled all the dice rolls and the numbers that comes up on the dice. I fell the game is rigged so the computer will win most of the time like they do in Las Vegas on all the slot machines. So the game isn't really on a level playing ground like it would be if you were playing an actual person. Full Review AI Factory Limited November 30, 2016 Thank you for your review. We assure you that all dice rolls really are absolutely random. We create games with total integrity, with some licenced to other companies and used in serious academic research, and simply would have nothing to gain from unfair play.

If you still don't trust the dice however, please try "Use Manual Dice" in Options. A Google User December 24, 2016 Nice app, loaded dice. Frustrating. I've been playing backgammon for maybe 30 years; my opinion of this app? Unfeasibly high level of doubles and convenient rolls from the CPU. I know the maker will refute this claim, but the odds of rolling several doubles in a row when bearing off and that ability to pick off your blots with ease just makes the app a tad unenjoyable. It also seems that when you double, it's a green light for the CPU to roll combinations of 1s and 2s while it's doubling left, right and centre for itself. Full Review AI Factory Limited January 3, 2017 Thank you for your review but dice rolls are random. Our games are extensively tested for fairness and backed by serious academic research. In response to user inputs on the issue of fair dice rolls we have created an article on the app.

Steven Burck January 14, 2017 Endgame issue when playing for points: if computer is far behind and can avoid backgammon, it won't. Instead favors moving close men in and then loses extra point for no good reason. Good game overall Why Isn't Backgammon More Popular? - Freakonomics Freakonomics Why Isn't Backgammon More Popular? December 14, 2010 @ 1:45pm Levitt and I just recorded a Q&A session for the Freakonomics Radio podcast, using the questions that all of you recently submitted . You’ll hear the results soon, probably in January. Thanks for the good questions. One question we didn’t get to, from Tg3: I have heard Dubner casually mention that he is a backgammon player. Are there ever Levitt vs. Dubner battles? More importantly, why is such a great game not more popular in North America? Sadly, Levitt and I have never played. But it’s the second part of the question that got me thinking. Why not indeed?

Off the top of my head, I’d say: Well, it’s not so unpopular , and there are those who say a renaissance is perhaps underway . My friend James Altucher and I have a running game (101-point matches) that we usually play in diners or restaurants, and almost inevitably a small crowd (or at least the server) will hang out to watch and talk about the game … That said, yes, it’s a fringe game. Why? I’d say it’s because too many people play it without gambling, or at least without using the doubling cube. Without the cube, a game that is intricate and strategic – because the stakes are higher – becomes an often-boring dice race. Once you use the cube, especially with dollars attached to points, the game changes completely because the most exciting and most difficult decisions have to do more with cube play than with checker play. Why is the game itself too often uninteresting? Don’t get me wrong: I love playing backgammon. But the fact is that the choice set of moves is in fact quite small. That is, for many rolls, there’s clearly one optimal move, or perhaps two that are nearly equal.

So once you know those moves, the game is limited, and you need some stakes to make it interesting. Unlike, say, chess, where the options and strategies are far more diverse. This last point, if arguable, got me to wondering: in what percent of backgammon turns would there seem to be clearly one optimal move – versus, for comparison, chess? Since James is a superb chess player and also an excellent backgammon player (and a smart guy in general), I asked him. His answer is well worth sharing: It’s an interesting question. Let’s define optimal first. Let’s say a program has an evaluation function (EV). Given a position, the EV returns a number from 1 to 10 based on how good the position is for the person whose move it is. If it’s a 10, the person with the move wants to get to that position. The EV is a function of various heuristics added up (how many people are on the center, how many pips I’m ahead in the race, how many slots I control, how many loose pieces I have, etc). When it’s my turn, the computer looks at all my initial moves and finds the ones resulting in the best EV.

It then looks at all my opponent’s responses to each move and finds the ones resulting in the lowest EV for me (this now propagates up to become the EV of my initial move). It then looks at all my responses to my opponent’s responses and finds the ones with the best EV (and does the propagation again). This is called min-max . Looking at all the best moves only is called alpha-beta search and is how most game programs work. So the question is, what is “optimal?” On a scale of 1 to 10, if a move is 3 better than the next move, is that optimal? Let’s say it is. In chess, it’s easy to see optimal moves. If someone does rook takes queen, then hopefully I can take his queen and it’s a fair trade. By far that will be the only optimal move. Other optimal moves lead to checkmate or great increases in material. Otherwise, its probably not optimal. In a typical chess game, maybe 5 percent of the moves have a value greater than “one pawn’s worth.” In backgammon, I’d say its 10 percent.

I’m saying this based on experience with Backgammon NJ [ an excellent program , BTW], discussions with backgammon game programmers in the past, and I’m using 10 percent rather than 5 percent because backgammon is slightly less complex than chess. It’s not simple though. To be a backgammon master probably requires almost as much study but not quite. Hope this was helpful. Yes, James, helpful indeed – because I now know a bit better how you think about the game, which I desperately need to finally beat you in our 101-pt. matches. Thanks! Online Backgammon - Backgammon Games The World of Backgammon - Introduction to Gammon by World Casino Directory Backgammon, the two-player board game, played for fun and money all over the world is now gaining significant popularity in the gambling community. Gamblers who might enjoy playing other games like poker have found an interest in the game of Backgammon. Online backgammon in particular is gaining enormous grounds. Backgammon is considered to be a game more of skill than luck and gamblers consequently have been betting on backgammon games for many years.

The rules of playing backgammon are relatively simple so learning how to play backgammon is a snap for most. World Casino Directory's introduction to backgammon page is for expert backgammon players and beginning backgammon players alike. Here we will try to explain the game of backgammon which is simple to learn yet complex to master. Our backgammon tips and backgammon strategies should work playing online backgammon or in real backgammon games. GammonEmpire is a new state-of-the-art Backgammon playing software, featuring a stunning 3D graphics engine. Play for free or for real money with people from all over the world. Join hourly, daily and weekly, Sit & GO and Event tournaments and win cash prizes. Improve your ranking among other players, accumulate stars and redeem them to bonuses. GammonEmpire was launched at the end of 2004 and immediately attracted professional players as their Backgammon software of choice. Come play with the best and improve your Backgammon skills! Exclusive to GammonEmpire: REFER-A-FRIEND! Invite your friends to play with us, and get $20 bonus directly to your account for each depositing friend that you bring.

Visit GammonEmpire Many people are playing backgammon for free everyday, but did you know online backgammon is becoming very popular as a betting sport? Visit Gammon Empire for a peek into the world of internet backgammon / online backgammon. You can play free or signup and play backgammon for real money. It's almost a cult movement like poker was in the early 90's before it really caught on. Here at WCD we have listed for you the rules of backgammon, backgammon strategy articles, places to play online backgammon for real money, the history of backgammon, backgammon in the news and even a few other pages of information for you to look through. We have a complete backgammon dictionary for you, too. The plan is to eventually put a new free online backgammon game in World Casino Directory's free casino in the near future. We believe backgammon has been in the "background" for far to long. Backgammon is a perfect betting game and online backgammon is currently proving it. World Casino Directory is jumping on board the backgammon craze early. We think you should, too.

Question: Backgammon is a game for how many players?
Answer: 2