The Backgammon
Main game rules
The backgammon game board consists of 24 narrow extended triangles which are called «points». Points are grouped in 6. These groups are called accordingly: the opponent's home board (points 24-19), opponent's outer board (points 18-13), outer board (points 12-7) and home board (points 6-1). The opponent has a backward numbering of points, that is where you have the 24th point the opponent has the 1st.
Each player has 15 checkers (there are versions of the game with smaller quantity of checkers) of one colour (black or white) and two game dice which traditionally are called «zary» in a backgammon.
There is a great quantity of the backgammon versions. However, despite the originality it is possible to determine the most common rules which will quickly help to understand any variant of the game.
Rules of checkers moving are different in various kinds of game. However, they are always defined by 2 rolled dice: as many points rolled as the checkers are moved. Moreover it is not possible to summarise points of two dice. At first it is necessary to move a checker on the quantity of points which rolled on one die and then to move on the quantity of points which rolled on another die. If the double rolled then the quantity of points on which it is possible to move the checkers is doubled. During the game participants roll dice by turns. The player sees his dice on the right half of the board and the dice of the opponent on the left half of the board.
The objective of the game is to move all your checkers into your own home board and then bear them off. The first player who bears all his checkers off wins the game. All kinds of the game can be nominally divided into two big versions: Narde and the Backgammon. They differ due to the fact that it is possible to hit checkers in the Backgammon and it is not possible to do it in Narde.
The Backgammon is usually played on an agreed stake per point. It is possible to win several points during the game. Their quantity depends on how the game ended (with the gammon, with the backgammon), whether there was the doubling of stakes during the game.
Matches and Ìoneygame
It is possible to play in the Backgammon both separate single games and matches consisting of several games. There are special rules regulating matches and separate single games: Crawford Rule, Jacoby Rule, Beaver/Raccoon etc.
Matches are played up to a certain number of points: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and etc. When playing matches it is possible to double stakes but with one restriction which is called «Crawford Rule».
Moneygame – a style of a game where the game consists of the sequence of independent single games.
Crawford Rule
If one of the players has only one point left to win in the match then it is not possible to make doubling in the current game. This game is called a Crawford game. It is possible to continue to double stakes in the following games of the given match without any restrictions. Such games are called post-Crawford games. Crawford rule is applied only in matches.
Holland Rule
If there was not at least one doubling of stakes during the game then the gammon («mars») and the backgammon («koks») doesn’t increase the loss. That is they are counted as one point. It is usually applied in moneygame and it is not applied in matches.
Jacoby Rule
If a player is offered to double stakes then he has the right to declare a counter doubling during the same move. Moreover he keeps the right of the following doubling for himself. Such doubling is called "Beaver". In his move, the player to whom Beaver is declared, can redouble the stake and keep the right of doubling for himself. Such «beaver doubling» is called «racccoon».
Beaver/Raccoon
In post-Crawford games a player who is behind in the game can double only after the moment when both players already made two moves. It is applied seldom.
Stakes, doubling, points counting
As a rule, the Backgammon is usually played on an agreed stake per won point. Each game starts with the 1 point stake. In the course of the game it is possible to double the stake.
Rules of the stake doubling are the following. Both players have the right to double in the beginning. Further one of the players can offer the opponent to continue but with the double stake or to resign. If the opponent resigns then he defeated with 1 lost point. The player can accept the doubling and then the game proceeds with 2 points stake. The right to offer the following doubling passes to the player who accepted the doubling. Instead of to «double» often say «dave». This phrase means the doubling of stake. The following doubling of stake will lead to the 4 points stake, further – to the 8 points etc.
The gammon («mars») and the backgammon («koks»)
When one player to bear off at least one checker and when the second player has already born off all his checkers from the board – such defeat is called «the gammon». The stake is multiplied by two.
If a player doesn’t have time to bear off at least one checker and at least one of his checkers is in the opponent's home board or on the bar then such defeat is called «the backgammon». In this case the current stake is multiplied by three.
Duplicate backgammon
Duplicate backgammon are played simultaneously on two boards in the following way:
- Acting out the first move always occurs on the board ¹1. Dices are generated only on the board ¹1.
- After game start a player throwing the dices makes a move on the board ¹1. For example, if dices 62 for whites, that is X1B has to play this combination on the board number 1. After that, his opponent playing a white on the board number 2 (Y2B) makes move with this dice combination(62) on the board ¹2.
- After completion of the move on the white board ¹2 (Y2B), player Y rolls a dice on the board ¹1 for black (Y1B).
- Then there are the same actions as described in Section 2.
- Playing with a doubling. On board 1 a doubling is take place as in conventional backgammon. If player have a position in which it is possible doubling on the board ¹2 he should check the checkbox "Stop before a throw," which allows him to double before rolling dice by opponent on the board ¹1.
Last change: 23.02.2012
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