Backgammon FAQ

1 - What is Backgammon and how can I start playing it?

2 - What is the equipment I need in order to play backgammon and where can I find it?

3 - What is the Object of this game?

4 - What is the backgammon layout setup?

5 - is there any strategy in the game?

6 - are there any dices tips (or how can I get good numbers…)?

7 - What is a Chouette ?

8 - what are the Dice Probabilities?

9 - What is the best approach – to be aggressive or defensive?

10 - is it about luck or skill?

11 - are there any Clubs and tournaments?

12 - Is playing Backgammon is like playing a war game?

1 - What is Backgammon and how can I start playing it?

Your question is actually 2 questions. Let’s start with the first question-

What is Backgammon
Backgammon is the oldest known recorded game (5000 years old!). Traditionally, it was believed to have originated in ancient Egypt, Sumeria, or Mesopotamia in the Persian Empire (present-day Iran, Iraq, and Syria). However, more recent conclusive evidence indicates that the game originated on the eastern borders of Iran, near Afghanistan. The Iranian chancellor and thinker of the Sassanid Empire Bozorgmehr is said to have created the ancient version of the game. In English, the word backgammon is believed to be derived from "back" plus the Middle English word "gamen" (game). Many believe Backgammon is game of only luck, but it’s not true. It is a strategic game like war games and it’s as complicated to win as other war games as chess for example. There is off course luck involved in the game, as the dices are showing randomly results. However a good player will always make use of the laws of probability and other skills to win his opponent.

How can I start playing
If you want to learn how to play backgammon and the basic rules of it, start with backgammon SETUP and then go to BackGammon Rules and start playing.

2   -What is the equipment I need in order to play backgammon and where can I find it?

The basic Backgammon Equipment you need for playing-

• A Backgammon board or layout.
• 30 circled, round stones (checkers, 15 each of 2 different colors).
• 1 pair of regular dice, numbered from 1 to 6. (If you want you can use 2 pairs of dice, one for each player for more convenience).
• 1 dice cup, which is used to shake and throw the dice. (If you want you can use 2 dice cups, one for each player for more convenience).
• Not a must- 1 doubling cube – it’s a six-faced die that marked with the numerals 2,4,8,16,32 and 64. We use it to keep track of the number of units at stake in each game and to mark the player who last doubled.

3   -What is the Object of this game?

Backgammon is a race between two sets of 15 checkers each, moving in a circle in a path divided into 24 dagger-like partitions, known as ``points''.
The object of Backgammon is for each player to bring all his checkers into his home base board, and then to bear them off the board. The first player to get all his checkers off the board is the winner.

4   - What is the backgammon layout setup?

The Backgammon layout is divided in the center by a divider, known as the ``bar'', into an outer and inner (or home base) board or table. The side nearest you is your outer and “home base” tables and the side farther away is your opponent’s outer and “home base” boards.
Backgammon is a race between two sets of 15 checkers each, moving in a circle in a path divided into 24 dagger-like partitions, known as ``points''.
You can see the layout setup by watching backgammon setup page.

5   - is there any strategy in the game?

In very general terms, there are 3 basic strategies employed. You need to be able to switch strategies instantly as the course of the game unfolds.
The Blockade
This involves building a 6-thick wall of checkers, or at least as thick as you can manage, to block in the opponent's checkers that are on your 1-point. This is considered to be the most suitable strategy at the start of the game. You can build the wall anywhere between your 11-point and your 2-point and then shuffle it into your home board as the game progresses.
The Blitz
This involves closing your home board as quick as possible while keeping your opponent on the bar. For example, if your opponent rolls an early 2 and moves one checker from your 1-point to your 3-point and you then roll a 5-5, you can play 6/1 6/1 8/3 8/3. Your opponent is now in serious trouble because they have 2 checkers on the bar and you have closed half your inner board!
The Backgame
This is where you have 2 or more anchors in your opponent's home board. (An anchor is a point occupied by at least 2 of your checkers.) It should be used when you are significantly behind as it much improves your chances. The best places for anchors are towards your opponent's lower point and either on adjacent points or with a single point in between. Timing is crucial for an effective backgame: after all, there's no point having 2 nice anchors and a solid wall in your own home board if you are then forced to dismantle this straight away, while your opponent is getting their checkers home, because you don't have other spare checkers to move! In this case, it's better to have checkers on the bar so that you can preserve your position until your opponent gives you a chance to hit, so it can be a good idea to try and get your opponent to hit them in this case!
Some people go for a backgame from the outset, but this is a mistake. The backgame is a losing strategy: it's just that this strategy makes you less likely to lose if you are already losing!
For more information abut strategy, you can visit our strategy page.

6   - are there any dices tips (or how can I get good numbers…)?

There are some dices tips. The best one is - If the number of the dice is equal or bigger than the number of the row that your checker is located you take off. If the dice number is smaller than the row number you must play that number by moving your checker towards rows with smaller number.  For more information visit our dices tips page.

7   - What is a Chouette ?

A backgammon chouette authorizes 3 or more players to take part in a single game, often for money. One player competes against a team of all the other participants, and positions rotate after every game. Chouette play frequently permits the use of multiple doubling cubes.
A Chouette is a social backgammon variation. 1 player is ``the box'' player and he plays against all the other players on 1 single board. 1 other player is the “captain” and he is the one that rolls the dice and makes the plays for the team that opposes the box. If the box wins, the captain goes to the back of the line, and the next player becomes captain. If the captain wins, the box goes to the back of the line, and the captain is now the new box.
In some Chouettes, the captain's partners may consult between themselves about the way rolls should be played. In others, discussion is prohibited. There are also some that are finding the middle ground, where discussion is allowed only after the cube has been turned, and this is a popular Chouette.

8   - what are the Dice Probabilities?

Many choices in a backgammon game rely on understanding dice probabilities. There are 36 different outcomes when two dice are thrown, all of them equally likely-six ways of throwing the first die, and for each of them, six ways of throwing the second die. Note that rolls of 1-4 and 4-1 are different outcomes, which means that there are two chances in 36 of throwing a 1 on one die and a 4 on the other.  For more information about Dice Probabilities Visit our Dice Probabilities Page.

9   - What is the best approach – to be aggressive or defensive?

This debate, on whether a player should obtain a highly aggressive approach to the game, or a defensive one. Keep in mind the famous axiom; 'slow but steady wins the race'. If one keeps a watch upon the refinements in backgammon he can simply find out that the game has turn into more and more aggressive with the ages which being the key motivation for attracting the stalwarts from other famous board games.  To read the Full article click here.

10   - is it about luck or skill?

Prior this year a trial took place in Israel to see if the game of backgammon was more skill based than luck based. The trial was supervised by a professor from the statistics department of Bar-Ilan University, Israel. 16 players participated in the trial: 5 were top level (information taken from Play65 site), 2 middle and 9 with weak abilities.
The results showed that 3 out of the 4 finalists were top level and in the finals itself both players were high level.
The purpose of this trial was to offer empiric datum for quantities basis to argue the question: 'Does a backgammon player with capability and practice have a considerable benefit over a player with missing practice and/or weak capability'. To read the Full article click here.

11   - are there any Clubs and tournaments?

Yes! Fanatics have structured clubs for social play of backgammon.
Neighborhood clubs may hold casual gatherings, with members meeting at cafés and bars in the evening to play and converse. Some clubs offer additional services, maintaining their own facilities or offering computer analysis of troublesome plays. A few club leaders have noticed a current growth of attention in backgammon, and attribute it to the game's attractiveness on the internet.
To learn more about clubs and tournaments click here.

12   - Is playing Backgammon is like playing a war game?

No one can compare war to a board game; the idea that a clash which involves the murder of blameless people on both sides of the partition is something that cannot be considered as anything other than foolish. Yet, in the very basics of war the strategy that is used to crush one’s opponent could have come from a board game... To learn more about this issue click here.