How many checkers does each player have?

Each player has 15 checkers. The goal is to move all 15 around the board into your home board and then bear them off before your opponent does.

Who goes first in backgammon?

To decide who goes first, each player rolls a single die. The player with the higher number goes first and uses both dice that were just rolled as their opening move. If both players roll the same number, they roll again.

Can you move backwards in backgammon?

No. Checkers only ever move forward, toward your home board. You can never move a checker backward, away from where you are bearing off.

What does hitting a blot mean?

A blot is a point occupied by a single checker. When you land on a blot, you hit it: the opponent’s checker is sent to the bar and must re-enter the board before they can make any other move.

How do you win a game of backgammon?

You win by being the first player to bear off all 15 of your checkers. Once every checker is in your home board, you remove them based on your dice rolls, and the first to clear the board wins.

Backgammon Rules — Complete Rules of Backgammon Explained

1. Objective of the Game

The goal of backgammon is to move all your 15 checkers into your "home board" (the last 6 points) and then bear them off the board before your opponent does. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game.

2. The Board

The backgammon board has 24 points (triangles) divided into four quadrants of 6 points each:

Your home board: Points 1-6 (where you bear off)
Your outer board: Points 7-12
Opponent's outer board: Points 13-18
Opponent's home board: Points 19-24

In the middle of the board is the "bar", where hit checkers are placed until they can re-enter.

3. Initial Setup

At the start of the game, checkers are placed as follows:

2 checkers on point 24
5 checkers on point 13
3 checkers on point 8
5 checkers on point 6

Your opponent has the same configuration, but mirrored.

4. Moving Checkers

On each turn, you roll two dice and move your checkers according to the values shown. Basic rules are:

Checkers always move forward, toward your home board
You can move one checker using the sum of both dice, or two different checkers
If you roll doubles (same number on both dice), you move four times that value
You cannot move to a point occupied by 2 or more opponent's checkers
If you cannot make any legal move, you forfeit your turn

5. Hitting and Entering

A single checker on a point is called a "blot" and can be hit. When you land on a point with a single opponent's checker, that checker is placed on the bar.

A player with checkers on the bar must first re-enter them before moving any other checkers. Re-entering is done in the opponent's home board, on a point corresponding to the die value.

6. Bearing Off

Once all your 15 checkers are in your home board, you can start bearing them off. To bear off a checker:

Roll the dice and bear off a checker from the corresponding point
If you don't have a checker on that point, move a checker from a higher point
If the die value is higher than your highest occupied point, bear off from that point

Note: If a checker is hit during bearing off, you must first bring it back to your home board before continuing to bear off.

Backgammon Rules