Every backgammon game starts the same way. Once you know the setup, you’ll never forget it — there’s a simple symmetry that makes it easy to remember.

The board, in plain language

A backgammon board has 24 points (the long triangles), split into four quadrants:

Your home board (where you bear off) on your right
Your outer board on your left
Your opponent’s outer board across from yours
Your opponent’s home board across from theirs

The bar runs down the middle, dividing each side into two quadrants of six points each.

The starting position

Each player starts with 15 checkers, placed like this (counting points from your home board, 1 = closest to where you bear off):

Point	Your checkers
24	2
13	5
8	3
6	5

Your opponent’s setup mirrors yours. They have 2 on their 24-point (which is your 1-point), 5 on their 13-point, and so on.

How to remember it

Three numbers, in any order: 2, 5, 3, 5. The “2” is the farthest pair — they have the longest journey home. The two stacks of “5” are the workhorses. The “3” sits on the 8-point as your forward base.

What’s next

Once you’ve placed the checkers, you both roll one die. Highest number goes first — and uses both dice (yours and theirs) for that opening roll. Then play alternates.

Ready to try it? Open the board and start a game — the setup is automatic.