Backgammon is a one-on-one competition played with a board, 15 checkers and two dice for each player. The board has 24 different spots (or “points”), usually triangle-shaped, and a special spot for checkers that got hit, the borderline between the left and the right half of the board, called “the bar”.

Before the game starts, the checkers are arranged on the board in a given order.

The object of the game is to be the first to bear all checkers off. In order for you to be allowed to bear off your checkers, all of them have to be in your home board. For the player with the white pieces, the home board is the quadrant on the bottom right side. For the player with the black pieces the home board is the quadrant on the top right side.

To determine who starts, each player rolls one die. The player with the higher number moves first. If both numbers are equal, the players have to roll again. The smaller number is important, because the first roll of the game consists of both players' die rolls. From then on, the player whose turn it is rolls two dice. For each number of the dice he can move a checker. If both numbers are identical the roll is called a doublet. A doublet counts twice, hence the player can move up to four checkers.

Checkers must only be moved forward towards your home board. They can be moved to any point except to points that are already occupied by your opponent (if he has two or more checkers on that point). When you move to a point where your opponent has one single checker, that checker is hit and put on the bar.

All dice numbers represent individual rolls. If you roll a 5 and a 2 for example, you can move one checker by 5 points and another one by 2 points. Instead you may also move the same checker by 7 points if you can legally move the checker by 2 points followed by 5 points or by 5 points followed by 2 points. With a roll consisting of two different numbers, you can move one or two checkers, with a doublet you can move just one checker or up to four different checkers.

You have to use both numbers of a roll or all four numbers of a doublet if this is possible. If only one number can be played you have to play it. If either of the numbers can be played individually but not both numbers together then you have to play the higher number.

Any time you have one or more checkers on the bar you have to move these checkers first. You may not make any other move before you have brought your checkers back into play. A checker can be brought back into play by entering into an open point of the opponent's home board. If, for example your opponent has made the 4-point, 5-point and 6-point in his home board, you need to roll a 1, 2 or 3 to re-enter. If you can not re-enter from the bar because the corresponding points are owned by your opponent you must pass your turn.

You can bear off checkers whenever all of your remaining checkers are placed in your home board.

A checker can be borne off in the following ways:

• You may bear off a checker from the point corresponding to the rolled number.
• If there is no checker on the corresponding point you have to make a legal move from a higher numbered point. If there are no more checkers on higher numbered points you may bear off a checker from the highest numbered point where there is still a checker.

There is no obligation to bear off a checker. You can always decide to move a checker from a higher point instead.

Whether you are playing an 11-point match for €10 or a single game for €100 per point, when you start a new game, the stake is always one point.

The Doubling Cube is available to both players - it is then “in the middle”.

During the game, either player may propose a “Double”. The other player then has to decide about either “taking” or “passing” the Double. If he passes, he loses one point and the next game begins. If he takes, the game continues for twice the stake. A player who takes a Double then “owns” the cube. Only he may offer the next Double whilst only his opponent may offer the Double after that and so on.

You may think that the Doubling Cube can easily go up to a value of 64 or higher, but in reality even a 16-cube is a rare species.

The game ends when one of the players bears off his last checker. It is then determined how many points he wins. Therefore the value of the Doubling Cube is multiplied with:

• 1 point, if the loser of the game has borne off at least one checker (single).
• 2 points, if the loser did not bear off any checkers (gammon).
• 3 points, if the loser did not bear off any checkers AND has one or more checkers in the winner's home board or on the bar (backgammon).