Backgammon is one of the oldest board games for two players. The playing pieces are moved according to the roll of dice and a player wins by removing all of his pieces from the board before his opponent. Backgammon is a member of the tables family one of the oldest classes of board games in the world.
Although luck is one of the determining factors in the outcome strategy plays a more important role in the long run. With each roll of the dice players must choose from numerous options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves by the opponent.
Backgammon playing pieces are known variously as checkers draughts stones men counters pawns discs pips chips or nips.
Rules of classic backgammon are rather simple. The objective is to remove (bear off) all of one's own checkers from the board before one's opponent can do the same. The checkers are in the most often-played variants scattered at first and may be blocked or hit by the opponent.
To start the game each player rolls one die and the player with the higher number moves first using the numbers shown on both dice. If the players roll the same number they must roll again as the first move cannot be a doublet. After rolling the dice players must if possible move their checkers according to the number shown on each die. The same checker may be moved twice as long as the two moves are distinct. If a player rolls two of the same number called doubles that player must play each die twice. For any roll if a player can make moves corresponding to the numbers on both dice that player is compelled to do so. If players cannot use the number from either die in a roll given the position of their checkers then that turn is over and the turn passes to the opponent. If moves can be made according to either one die or the other but not both the higher number must be used. If one die is unable to be moved but such a move is made possible by the moving of the other die that move is compulsory.
In the course of a move a checker may land on any point that is unoccupied or is occupied by one or more of the player's own checkers. It may also land on a point occupied by exactly one opposing checker or "blot". In this case the blot has been "hit" and is placed in the middle of the backgammon board on the bar that divides the two sides of the playing surface. A checker may never land on a point occupied by two or more opposing checkers; thus no point is ever occupied by checkers from both players simultaneously. There is no limit to the number of checkers that can occupy a point at any given time.
Checkers placed on the bar by being hit re-enter the game through the opponent's home board. Checkers may not enter on points that are occupied by two or more opposing checkers—these points are blocked. Checkers can enter on points occupied by a single opposing checker—this opposing checker is hit and goes to the bar the same as any hit checker. A player may not move any other checkers until all checkers on the bar belonging to that player have re-entered the board.
When all of a player's checkers are in that player's home board that player may start removing them; this is called "bearing off".
If one player has not borne off any checkers by the time that player's opponent has borne off all fifteen then the player has lost a gammon which counts for double a normal loss. If the losing player has not borne off any checkers and still has checkers on the bar or in the opponent's home board then the player has lost a backgammon which counts for three times a normal loss.
Backgammon game features:
- singleplayer game with strong AI (master of backgammon)
- multiplayer game on one device (hot seat)
- you can play backgammon online with friends
- "cloud" scoreboards and leaderboards
- online shop with 12 unique backgammon gameboards
- achievements and rewards
- comprehensive analytics of dice rolls
- random.org dice generation for fair game