Players

2 players

What You’ll Need

• Your Fullnoon Games Towel

• 15 light checkers

• 15 dark checkers

• 2 dice

Aim of the Game

Move all 15 of your checkers into your home board, then remove them from the board before your opponent does.

Set Up

The Backgammon board has 24 long triangles called points. Each player moves in the opposite direction around the board.

Set up each colour in the standard starting position:

• 2 checkers on the player’s 24-point

• 5 checkers on the player’s 13-point

• 3 checkers on the player’s 8-point

• 5 checkers on the player’s 6-point

The two players’ checkers should mirror each other on the board.

Each player rolls one die. The player with the higher number goes first and uses both rolled numbers for the first turn. Reroll if the numbers are the same.

How to Play

On your turn, roll both dice.

Each die is a separate move. For example, if you roll a 3 and a 5, you may:

• Move one checker 3 points and another checker 5 points, or

• Move the same checker 3 points and then 5 points, if both landing points are open.

You may use the dice in either order.

You must use both numbers when possible. If only one number can be played, you must use it. If either number can be played but not both, you must use the higher number. If neither number can be played, your turn ends.

Rolling Doubles

If both dice show the same number, play that number four times.

For example, double 4 means you have four separate moves of 4 points.

Open and Blocked Points

You may land on:

• An empty point

• A point containing your own checkers

• A point containing only one opposing checker

You cannot land on a point containing two or more opposing checkers. That point is blocked.

Hitting a Blot

A single checker sitting alone on a point is called a blot.

If you land on an opponent’s blot, remove it from that point and place it on the bar in the middle of the board.

Returning From the Bar

If you have a checker on the bar, you must return it to the board before moving any other checker.

Use your dice to enter through your opponent’s home board. You may enter on an open point that matches one of your rolled numbers.

If all matching entry points are blocked, you cannot enter and your turn ends. If you return all your checkers from the bar and still have an unused die, use it normally.

Bearing Off

You may start removing, or bearing off, your checkers only when all 15 are inside your home board.

Roll the dice and remove checkers from the matching points. For example, a roll of 4 can remove a checker from your 4-point.

If there is no checker on the matching point, you must make a legal move from a higher point if possible. If there are no checkers on any higher points, you may remove a checker from the highest occupied point below the rolled number.

If one of your checkers is hit while you are bearing off, return it from the bar and move it back into your home board before removing any more checkers.

Winning

The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins.