In backgammon, the players need to move all their pieces around the headboard and the winner is the one who first bears them off.
Basic Game Rules
The player can use two dice to play backgammon. You need to throw the dice and move your pieces, according to the number of pips shown on the dice. You can move your pieces around the board until you reach your home place. Once you move all the pieces to your home, you can start to take them off the backgammon board or bear them off, according to the numbers shown on the dice you have thrown.
Backgammon Rules for Starting The Game
Each player need to throw the die in the Backgammon game. The player who throws the higher number can make the first move. If you and your opponent have thrown the same number, you both need to keep throwing the dice until different numbers appear. The player that gets the higher number can use them for his first turn. For instance, if your dice show 6-6, you can move your two pieces six positions each. In subsequent turns, you and your opponent need to throw the dice and make moves accordingly. The players take turns to throw the dice and move their pieces accordingly in backgammon.
Basic Backgammon Moves
Players can make moves forward only in backgammon and not backwards. There will be different numbers in each die, so each piece can be moved to different places. Players may choose to use the numbers in both the dice to move a single piece.
According to the backgammon rules, you may move your pieces to a free space or the one that has your own pieces on it. There is an exception to this rule, which enhances the excitement of the game. If a player has a single piece on a space, the other player who rolled equivalent number on his dice may hit you off to land on that space.
If you have two or more pieces on a space, the opponent cannot hit you. He may not be able to move to that space. Understanding these basic rules for making moves is important to play backgammon online.
Rules For Doubles In Backgammon Game
When both the die shows similar numbers, it is called doubles in backgammon. You can then move the value of each die twice. For instance, if both the die show four, you can move 16 (8+*8) spaces. You can choose to move a single piece to 16 spaces or move two pieces eight spaces each.
Hitting Blots
Blot is a single piece on any space in the board. If your opponent lands on that place, he can hit your piece, which will then be placed on the bar. You need to go back to the start and throw the dice to come to the open space in your opponent’s home place.
Bear Off
If you manage to get all your pieces into your home place, you can start taking them off the board. This is called bearing off. The first player who takes all the pieces off the board is the winner.