Tabla (backgammon), Gulbara and Plakoto (also called Tapa) are played on the same board with the same dice, but their rules differ. Here is the difference between backgammon, Gulbara and Plakoto: how the checkers move, whether you can hit, and how you win.
In short
Backgammon is the classic game with hitting. Gulbara is a blocking game without hitting. Plakoto is a pinning game. The board is the same, but the strategy is different.
| Backgammon | Gulbara | Plakoto | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direction | Opposite | The same | Opposite |
| Start | Spread over four points | All 15 on one point | All 15 on the opponent’s 1-point |
| Hitting | Yes, a lone checker goes to the bar | No | No, a lone checker is pinned |
| Doubling cube | Yes | No | No |
| Doubles | Four times | Four times; from the fourth roll on they continue up to 6-6 | Four times |
| Gammon | 2 points (3 for a backgammon) | 2 points | 2 points |
Backgammon
The best-known game. Checkers move in opposite directions, lone checkers are hit and go to the bar, and the doubling cube adds a stake for decisions in the middle of the game. Counting chances and choosing between safety and risk matter most here.
Gulbara
Both players move in the same direction and start with all 15 checkers on one point in their corner. Nothing is hit and there is no bar: even a single checker closes a point to the opponent. Winning comes from building walls that block the opponent’s path. Doubles are special: from your fourth roll on, a double continues all the way up to 6-6.
Plakoto
Players again move in opposite directions, but all 15 checkers start on the opponent’s 1-point. A lone checker is not hit but pinned: once you land on it, it cannot move while you stay there. Your last checker on your starting point is your mother checker: if it is pinned, you lose at once.
Which one to start with
If you are new, start with backgammon: it has the most learning material. If you like building walls, try Gulbara. If you like setting traps, try Plakoto. On ZAR all three are free, and each has its own rules page and strategy guide.