Backgammon Rules & Instructions

Summary: Backgammon, a classic game for two players, is won by rolling dice in order to remove playing pieces from the game board. Luck of the dice plays a large role in winning the race to remove game pieces. Much like checkers or chess, there are tournaments for backgammon worldwide. Similar games date back to 3000 BC and ancient Mesopotamia. In fact, the earliest use of the English word “backgammon” used to describe the game of luck, dates back to 1650.

The first step to learning how to play the game of backgammon is setting up the board correctly. Starting with this step, our expert explains different strategies and moves that can be made during the play of the game. There is a certain vocabulary that backgammon players have identified with different strategies and moves. Learn how to “get off the roof” or “doubling cube." Get tips on the opening roll and the last quadrant. Learn about hitting and safety and the difference between gammoned and backgammoned. Get expert playing advice on how to re-enter the board and the first and second sequences. In this series of videos, our expert explains the details of backgammon strategy and rolling the dice to win the game.