🎲 Backgammon

How to play

You play White against a computer opponent on a 24-point backgammon board. White moves from the high-numbered points down towards point 1 and bears off; Black moves the other way. Roll the dice, then spend each die on a checker. The first side to bear off all 15 checkers wins.

• Dice — click either of the two dice squares to roll. Doubles give you four moves instead of two.
• Board click — click one of your white checkers to select it (it turns amber), then click the destination point. The move is accepted only if the distance matches a die you have not used.
• New Game — resets to the standard opening position and gives the roll back to White.

Scoring

There is no point score. The counters above the board track checkers borne off, and the first side to 15 wins. Each die may be used once, and a double becomes four moves of that number. You can move to a point that is empty, yours, or holds a single enemy checker; two or more enemy checkers block it. Landing on a lone enemy checker removes it in this simplified version, and bearing off is only allowed once every white checker is home.

Tips

• Do not leave single checkers where the computer can reach them. A lone checker on an exposed point can be hit and lost outright.
• Stacks of two or more are safe. Pairing up as you advance costs a little speed and removes most of the risk.
• Plan both dice before moving. Using the larger die first can leave the smaller one with no legal destination.

Frequently asked questions