THE TABLETOP WIRE PLAYROOM

A little luck.
A thoughtful move.

Free Backgammon. A friendly rival. Time for one more game.

New to backgammon? Start here ↘

Computer · Blue167 pips0 / 15 off

A FRIENDLY RIVALRY

Your table is ready.

You play Ivory, moving from point 24 toward point 1. Roll to see who starts.

You · Ivory167 pips0 / 15 off

Ivory: 24 → 1 → offBlue: 1 → 24 → off

Single games · No doubling cubeProgress saves on this device

FROM FIRST ROLL TO FINAL CHECKER

Find your way home.

Bring all 15 checkers into your home board, then take them off. Ivory moves toward points 6–1; Blue moves toward points 19–24.

Read the US Backgammon Federation’s rules ↗

Roll, then choose. Each die is a separate move. Doubles give four moves. At the start, one die is rolled for each player; the higher roll starts using both dice. Ties are rerolled.
Make a point. Hit a blot. Two or more opposing checkers block a point. Land on a single opposing checker to send it to the bar. Checkers on the bar must re-enter first.
Use the roll fully. You must use both dice if possible, or as many of four doubles as possible. If only one of two dice can be used, play the higher one when possible. Only moves that satisfy these rules are offered.
Bear off to finish. Once all your checkers are home and none is on the bar, exact rolls remove checkers. An oversized roll can remove a checker only from your furthest occupied point.

Computer opponent, saved games & fair dice

Play against the computer or share this device with a friend. Ivory moves first only if it wins the opening roll. Blue’s computer opponent evaluates complete legal turns, including progress, blocks and exposed checkers. Friendly allows more variation; Focused consistently chooses its highest-rated turn. These are casual opponents, not tournament-strength bots. Suggestions use the same evaluator and are not guaranteed best moves.

Dice use your browser’s cryptographic random source, with equal chances for 1–6. Neither player gets weighted rolls. A Math.random fallback is used only if that source is unavailable. No money or wagering is involved.

Your position, roll, current-turn undo history, chosen mode, learning hints and sound preference are saved in this browser. Nothing is uploaded as a game score. Reloading resumes the same roll. Pause or changing tabs stops computer moves; clear site data to remove the saved game. Undo is available within your turn, before you finish it.

Use Tab and Enter to operate the game. Arrow keys move between board points. You can also choose from the large available-move buttons. A move uses one die at a time. When two dice can bear the same checker off, choose the die in the move list. Escape clears a selection or exits expanded view.

What kind of backgammon is this?

This version plays individual games without the doubling cube, match points or money-play rules. A single game is worth one point; a gammon (opponent has borne off none) is worth two; a backgammon is worth three if that opponent also has a checker on the bar or in the winner’s home board. The result is shown at the end. A rematch starts a fresh game.

BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The same game. Across a real table.

Two physical sets for playing face to face. Both include a doubling cube for learning that extra layer beyond our cubeless browser game.

15-INCH FOLDING SET

For a smaller shared table

A folding wooden set to compare when storage space matters. Check the open-board dimensions against your table before buying.

YMI Pasadena Backgammon Set

In the box30 acrylic checkers · Four dice · Doubling cube · Two wooden dice cups

Before you buyThe seller lists a closed case of 15.2 × 9.4 × 1.8 inches. The playing surface is wood, not padded felt.

17-INCH FOLDING SET

A little more room to play

An alternative with a larger board and checkers. The listed open footprint helps you plan space for two people.

YMI Cascadia Backgammon Set

In the box30 acrylic checkers · Four dice · Doubling cube · Two wooden dice cups

Before you buyThe seller lists 17.3 × 19.6 inches when open. Allow space around the board for cups and comfortable seating.

Selected by listed size and contents, not hands-on testing. We have not tested these sets. Check the selected version, current offer and contents on Amazon before ordering.

A quieter table for one? Play Mahjong Solitaire →