Backgammon online

Backgammon for two: each player has 15 checkers and moves them in the opposite direction to the opponent. The first to bear all their checkers off wins.

1. To start, each player rolls one die: the higher number goes first and plays both numbers. After that, on your turn you roll both dice and move one checker per die (doubles give four moves).
2. You may move to an empty point, to one with your own checkers or to one with a single enemy checker. Points with two or more enemy checkers are closed.
3. Landing on a lone enemy checker hits it: it goes to the bar and has to come back in through your home board before its owner can move anything else.
4. You must use both dice if you can; if only one fits, the higher one. If nothing can move, you lose the roll.
5. Once all 15 checkers are in your home board (the last six points) you start bearing off: with the exact number, or with a higher one from your rearmost point.
6. The first to bear them all off wins. If the opponent hasn’t borne any off it’s a gammon (worth 2), and if they still have one on the bar or in your home board, a backgammon (worth 3).

Tips and options

• Tap a checker you can move, then one of the marked points (or the tray on the right to bear it off). Space bar to roll.
• Rooms with friends can play a match to 3, 5 or 7 points with the doubling cube: before rolling you may double the stakes; your opponent takes (and owns the cube) or gives up the game at its current value. No doubling in the Crawford game.
• Each step has its own timer (rolling, moving, answering a double); if it runs out, the server plays for you.
• Ranked games are a single game without the cube and change your Elo.