The classic game with hitting, the bar and the doubling cube.
Goal
Bring all 15 checkers into your home board, then bear them off before your opponent.
Starting
Players move in opposite directions. Each player rolls one die and the higher die starts, then rolls both dice again for the first turn. (That re-roll is a ZAR house rule: in official tournaments the two opening dice are played as the first move.)
Using the dice
Play both dice if you can. If only one can be played, it must be the larger. Doubles are played four times. Any part of a roll that cannot be played is lost.
Hitting and the bar
Landing on a single opposing checker (a blot) sends it to the bar. A checker on the bar must re-enter before any other move. A point with two or more checkers is closed to the opponent.
Bearing off
Only once all 15 checkers are home. Bear off with an exact roll. If the roll is higher than your furthest checker, bear off that checker. Otherwise the die must be used to move inside your home board.
Doubling cube
Before rolling, you may offer a double. Your opponent takes (play continues at twice the stake) or drops (and loses at the current stake). Only the player who owns the cube may redouble. Crawford rule: in the game right after someone reaches one point from victory, doubling is not allowed.
Scoring
1 point for a single win, 2 for a gammon (the loser has borne off nothing), 3 for a backgammon (a gammon where the loser also still has a checker on the bar or in the winner’s home board). Multiply by the cube value.
Guided Backgammon game
Short lessons on the real board with the dice set for you: moving, the rules that matter, and how to win.
Try Backgammon
Practise against the computer with no clock, or play someone online.