Backgammon

Backgammon is a free online board game you can play instantly in your browser against a computer opponent named Otto, no download, no account, and no waiting for another player. Roll two dice each turn and move your checkers around the board toward your home board, using each die as a separate move (doubles play as four moves instead of two). Land on a point with one lone opponent checker — a blot — to send it to the bar, where it must re-enter before its owner can make any other move; land on a point your opponent already holds with two or more checkers and you can't move there at all. Once every one of your 15 checkers is home, start bearing them off to win the race. Play through 15 levels that sharpen Otto's dice play with every board, from a rival that leaves blots everywhere early on up to one that hits hard, blocks smart, and bears off with precision. Win by bearing off all 15 checkers before Otto does; Try Again deals a fresh race at the same difficulty any time he beats you home.

How to play Backgammon

1. Roll two dice each turn and move a checker by each die value, toward your home board — doubles play as four moves of that value instead of two.
2. You must use every die you can legally play; if you have a checker on the bar, you have to enter it before moving any other checker.
3. Landing on a point with a single opponent checker (a blot) sends it to the bar; landing on a point held by two or more opponent checkers is not allowed.
4. Enter a checker from the bar into the opponent's home board using a die value, and re-enter before making any other move whenever you have one on the bar.
5. Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, bear them off using exact or oversized die values.
6. Win by bearing off all 15 checkers before your opponent does; a level is a single race from the standard starting position.

Tips

• Avoid leaving a blot within 6 pips of an opponent checker whenever you have a safer option — a direct single-die hit is the most common way races swing.
• Making your 5-point and 4-point early (landing two checkers on the same point) builds a strong home board that's painful for a hit opponent to re-enter against.
• Don't rush every checker forward — a couple of anchored back checkers give you a safe base and a chance to hit if your opponent leaves a blot later.
• Once you're bearing off, keep an eye on any checker you still have to bring home — an unlucky hit near the end can cost far more time than the race you've already won.

FAQ