Backgammon Online Casino Game, Rules and Strategy

The Backgammon Board

Boards are made of a wide variety of materials and are available in many sizes. They range from inexpensive travel sets to custom made professionally crafted boards worth well over$1000. Most sets fold in half like a briefcase to save space, contain the checkers, dice, and cups, and to protect the surface. Backgammon is a race between two sets of counters, with each set moving around a track divided into 24 dagger-like divisions known as ?points?.

The Backgammon layout is divided down the center by a partition, known as the "bar'' (See Diagram 1), into an outer and inner (or home) board or table. The side nearest you is your outer and home tables; the side farther away is your opponent?s outer and home boards.

Object of the game

The object of Backgammon is for each player to bring all their counters into their home board, and then to bear them off the board. The first player to bear off all the counters form their home is declared the winner.

Starting the game

Each player casts one die. The player with the higher number makes the first move, using the two numbers cast by his die and his opponent's. In the event that both players roll the same number, it is a standoff and each rolls another die to determine the first move. In the event of subsequent ties, this process is repeated until the dice turn up different numbers. (In some games, players double the unit stake automatically every time they cast the same number; others limit the automatic doubles to one. In tournament play, there is no such thing as an automatic double.)

Moving the Counters

Each player's turn consists of the roll of two dice. He then moves one or more counters in accordance with the numbers cast. Assume the player rolls 4-2. The player may move one counter four spaces and another counter two spaces. A point to note is that when moving a single counter for the total shown by the two dice, you are making two moves with the one counter---each move according to the number shown on one of the dice.

Doublets

If the same number appears on both dice; for example, 6-6 or 3-3 (known as doublets), the player is entitled to four moves instead of two. Thus, if they roll 3-3, the player can move up to four counters, but each move must consist of three spaces.

The players throw and play alternately throughout the game, except in the case where a player cannot make a legal move and therefore forfeits their turn.

Making Points

A player makes a point by positioning two or more of his counters on it. He then ``owns'' that point, and his opponent can neither land on it nor touch down on it when taking the combined total of his dice with one counter.

Prime

A player who has made six consecutive points has completed a prime. An opposing counter trapped behind a prime cannot move past, for it cannot be moved more than six spaces at a time---the largest number on a die.

Blots

A single man on a point is called a blot. If you move a counter onto an opponent's blot, or touch down on it in the process of moving the combined total of your cast, the blot is hit, removed from the board and placed on the bar.

A counter that has been hit must re-enter in the opposing home table. A player may not make any move until such time as he has brought the counter on the bar back into play. Re-entry is made on a point equivalent to the number of one of the dice cast, providing that point is not owned by the opponent.

Closed Board

A Player who has made all six points in his home board is said to have a closed board. If the opponent has any counters on the bar, they will not be able to re-enter it since there is no vacant point in his adversary?s h