How to Play Backgammon
Like chess, backgammon is a board game played by two people. On each side of the board, there are 15 checkers with 24 narrow triangular lines or points. The objective of the game is to block the enemy's checkers and bring either the white and black checkers to fill up a point in your home base. The first to reach the home base is the winner.
Dice are used to make the moves and the checkers move according to the number on the rolls of the dice. With each roll of dice, the player chooses a plan where to put his checkers - with a goal to reach the home base and to block the opponent.
Starting the game
To start, each player throws a die and the player with the highest number plays first. In the event that equal numbers come up, both players will keep rolling a die until they roll distinct numbers.
When playing the same opponent again, the previous winner of the last game makes the first move.
Making the moves
The number on the two dice indicate how many checkers the player are allowed to move on the points - each number for each colored checker. Once moved, there is no turning backwards. Backgammon checkers only move forward towards their home base. The opposing colored checkers are always moving in opposite directions - there are two home bases each for both player's checkers.
In the event that the rolls of dice come up with equal numbers (double sixes for example), you will multiply that number by 2 and that number is the number of the checkers you'll be able to move.
A checker can only be moved to a vacant point or a point that's not yet completely filled with your checkers or to a point that's not yet completely blocked by your opponent's checkers. A point is blocked when two checkers occupy that point. If a single checker is on a point it is vulnerable and can be hit by an opposing player.
Because you are planning to make your moves, backgammon then becomes similar to chess in that it is a thinking board game. Remember that you cannot go backward.
Strategies you can use
To win backgammon, you must first come up with a strategy to block the opponent and be the first to reach the home base.
Early during the game, avoid piling up your checkers in a single point and distribute them evenly on the board. If you don't do this, it will limit your moves later on. Your opponent will also use the same strategy. However, remember that rolls of dice are involved in your movements. The rolls of the dice will dictate how many moves you'll make - if by chance you make more moves, the bigger is your chance of winning the game.