Backgammon is a simple game with complicated strategic elements. It does not take long to learn to play, although obscure situations do arise which require careful interpretation of the governing rules. The playing time for each individual game is short, so it is often played in matches, In short, players are trying to get all of their men past their opponent's pieces. This is difficult because the pieces are scattered at first, and can be blocked or captured by the opponent's men.

Each side of the board has a track of twelve adjacent spaces, called points and these are usually represented by long triangles of alternating color. The tracks are imagined to be connected across the break in the middle and on just one edge of the board, making a continuous line of twenty-four points. The points are numbered from 1 to 24, with men always moving from higher-numbered points to lower-numbered points. The two players move their men in opposite directions, so the 1-point for one player is the 24-point for the other. Some recorded games, however, keep the numbering of the points constant from the point of view of one player.

Each player begins with two men on his 24-point, three men on his 8-point, and five men each on his 13-point and his 6-point.

The following rules apply:

A checker may be moved only to an open point, one that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers. The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves. For example, if a player rolls 5 and 3, he may move one checker five spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or he may move the one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point (either three or five spaces from the starting point) is also open.

A player who rolls doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice. A roll of 6 and 6 means that the player has four sixes to use, and he may move any combination of checkers he feels appropriate to complete this requirement. A player must use both numbers of a roll if this is legally possible (or all four numbers of a double). When only one number can be played, the player must play that number. Or if either number can be played but not both, the player must play the larger one. When neither number can be used, the player loses his turn. In the case of doubles, when all four numbers cannot be played, the player must play as many numbers as he can.

Object of the Game

The aim of backgammon is to transport all your checkers around the game board toward your home area or inner board. Once you've done this, you need to remove all your checkers off the board entirely. The first player to do so wins the game.

A game commences when both players take turns at rolling a single die. The player who receives the highest number on the die is given the first turn. In instances of a tied number, the players roll again to determine who goes first.

Once the order of the game has been established, it’s time for opening rolls. The first player will roll two dice to start the game and the total pips they display dictate how the player moves his checkers on the backgammon board. Dice must land flat on the board and should be rolled again if either falls on an angle. The board consists of four quarters divided into six points represented by black and white triangles. Each point represents a playing space which checkers are moved across based on the dice pips.