Getting To Know Backgammon

The first thing that you need to do before playing backgammon is to understand what backgammon is.

1. Equipment

Backgammon game is specially played on a specifically created board. The designed backgammon board has four tables with six thin triangles; each has points with each table. The point will begin from the players going inwards. There will be 12 points forming opposite from each other.

Aside from the board there is also the fifteen black and another fifteen white disks, two dice with two dice shakers and one doubling cube.

2. Starting

One piece of disk can move from one direction to the other, from the player's table going to your opponent's side. The white pieces move clockwise while the black pieces move counter-clockwise.

All the points are numbered from 1 to 12 on both sides of the board. Betting on backgammon does not necessary mean that you have to play with money. You can bet using counters, with scores or beans. However, gambling in backgammon game does involve cash.

To start backgammon, players must roll the die at the same time. If both got doubled then they should roll the die again. The one who got the higher number will move their pieces first.

3. Doubling and Stakes

One of the players can offer to double before they roll the dice again. Upon declaring to double the other player can choose either to accept the offer of the double or to forfeit the game.

4. Basic Play

With every roll of the dice each player has the chance to move their pieces. Every move must not be passed by players. The moves can be made as follows:

> One point that has more than one piece is acceptable as long as it's all of the same color. On the other hand, no two pieces of different color can be together on one point. > One piece on a point is called "blot". If an opponent's piece lands on the blot, that piece will be captured and then the captured piece will be moved to the bar. > A captured piece can re-enter the game but it will be placed at the farthest point of the board. > If there are one or more pieces being captured on the bar, that player can't move anymore pieces until all the pieces from the bar re-enter the game.

Finishing

The first player who bears off all the pieces of his or her opponent's pieces wins the game.