|
|
HOW TO PLAY BACKGAMMON |
How to play Backgammon:
(Provisionally In accordance with B.I.B.A. Rules of Play.)
Welcome to this two player game that can trace its
origins
back about 5000 years.
It has been / is known as Tabula, Tric-trac, Ludus Duodecim
Scriptorum, Sheshbesh and Puff.
The board has
twenty-four narrow triangles called "points".
These alternate in colour and are grouped in
four quadrants of six points each.
Each player has 15 "stones" (pieces, counters)
of his own colour and two dice.
There is also a "doubling cube" - See further down
for details.
Rather, they are almost (it seems to the novice) littered around the board at about the half way round stage.
Set them up as laid out in the diagram below.
|
|
|
To
start: each player throws one die. |
|
Dice must always land on the
board, never be cocked or land on a stone. Otherwise both dice are always thrown
again, even if one was what you wanted ! |
|
On
this "start throw" the player who threw
the higher number starts his play with those two
numbers. He does not have the option to roll again.
Thereafter players roll their own dice. |
|
You
must advance around the board, in the opposite
direction to your opponent, trying NOT to leave
any stone on its own (sometimes possible,
sometimes impossible) because a stone left on its
own is hitable (a "blot".) |
|
There are 4 ways to move
two differing numbers (say 6 & 1) A) One stone 1 point then another stone 6 points. B) One stone 6 points then another stone 1 point. C) One stone 1 point then the same stone 6 points. D) One stone 6 points then the same stone 1 point. |
|
But, if a point is
occupied by two or more of your opponent's
stones, you may not stop there. When you want to move just one stone the two numbers you threw on your dice, you are not allowed to stop on the intermediate point if it is occupied by two or more of your opponent's stones. You may have 3 and 4, not be able to move a 3 then a 4, but can move a 4 then a 3 because the third point from where you are moving is occupied (by two or more of your opponent's stones) but the fourth point from where you are moving is not occupied. |
|
When a player throws his
dice and gets two numbers the same (known as
"doubles") he gets to move four times that
number. e.g. 6 & 6 = four moves of 6 (24 moves that must be taken in four batches of six) again, without stopping on points occupied by two or more of his opponent's stones. |
|
There will be occasions
when you cannot move one or both of your numbers
rolled because your opponent's stones are occupying
those points. If you can move one or the other, you must move the higher number die. If you cannot move, you forfeit that move and it is the other player's turn. |
|
You may place as many
stones on a point occupied by yourself as you wish. There is no limit as to how many. |
|
Here's a hint: If you
have two "builder stones" (third stones on
a point) two points apart and you also get a roll of
two numbers apart, look to see if you can use your
builder stones to advance onto a vacant point.
Thereby advancing and building a wall that blocks
your opponent. |
|
Always leave your two
thrown dice on the board whilst you are in play. You
may change your move if you see a better one. It is
the picking up of your dice that signals to your
opponent that you have finished your turn. |
|
A stone left on its own
is a "blot". If the opposing player throws
a number that allows him to land on that stone he
may move onto that point and the hit blot stone goes
"on the bar" (the centre of the board.) |
|
If he can achieve two
stones on that point or can move the attacking stone
directly onto another point occupied by himself this
is a good move. Taking an opposing stone but leaving one of your own stones alone is risky, but may be worthwhile. Sometimes it is best to not hit a blot stone. |
|
When a player has a
stone on the bar it must come back onto the board
before he makes any other move at all. Re-entry is from his opponent's home quarter. If a player cannot get either or all his stones on he forfeits the roll(s) he cannot use. |
|
When all your stones are
in your home quarter, you then start to "bear
off". Off is over the "side bar". A stone closest to the side bar is a 1 and a stone only just in the home quarter is a 6. If you throw a 6 but have no stone on the six point, you remove the next highest stone instead. You may not use the extra number(s) to move any other stone. Doubles still mean four moves of that number. If you throw (say) a 2 but have no stone on the two point but do have stones on higher points, you move a stone on the three, four, five or six point 2 points towards the side bar. A stone on the four point would probably be best because this will occupy the two point for the next throw. For further instructions: How to use the Doubling Cube Some Regional Variations If you do not understand a rule, please send an e-mail to: support@backpacker-backgammon.com |
|
|