How to Play Backgammon: Setup, Rules and Your First Game
Set up the board in the 2-5-3-5 pattern, learn how dice, hitting, the bar and bearing off work, and what a gammon is. Then practice free in your browser.
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Backgammon
Start with the board setup and a first turn, choose a physical board, or practice a single game in the free playroom.
Start here
Set up the boardA numbered diagram and the 2-5-3-5 starting position. →Learn the rulesMoving, hitting, entering from the bar and bearing off. →Choose a boardCheck open dimensions, checker size and the listed contents. →Practice onlineComputer or shared-device play; no doubling cube. →
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Which Backgammon Board Should You Buy? Sizes, Checkers and What’s in the Box
What the inch figure on a backgammon set means, how to check that checkers fit the points, and what a complete set contains. A researched guide, not a hands-on test.
Read moreAcross the table. Closer together.
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