No matter, who you are- a novice, or an experienced player, you will definitely take advantage from the outline of general rules of Backgammon we present below. Check out the materials connected with strategy, hints, probabilities, extras, etc...

Set-up
1.    Two players take part in Backgammon facing each other at a table
2.    Two dice decide about the movement of men, or checkers. The dice are thrown from a cup to ensure randomness.
3.    Before the game starts, either player may ask to roll for the choice of seats, checkers, or dice.
4.    Time of games is relatively short. That’s why games are usually played in matches up to a predetermined number, (i.e..,the first player who wins three games out of five is the winner of the match).
5.    Below we present the arrangement of checkers at the beginning of a typical game. However, there are several variants of the game and the set-up may differ.

Rolling the Dice
1.    During the match a player has the right to ask to mix the dice. In this case, all four dice will be placed in the cup and rolled. The opposing player then selects one die, followed by the roller, then again by the opponent, and finally the roller takes the last die.
2.    For the opening roll, each player rolls a single die. The player who rolls the highest number is the first to play, using the numbers shown. If it happens that the number are the same, then each player must re-roll the die until there is a winner. After the opening roll, the players take their turns to roll the dice and move the checkers.
3.    When rolled, the dice must come to rest flat on the section of the board to the player’s right. If either of the dice is not flat, they are said to be cocked and must be re-rolled.
4.    Dice can not be touched by the player until they come to a complete stop.
An opponent must first complete his play and then the dice may be rolled. If those two rules are broken, the dice must be rolled again.
5.    A play/turn is viewed as complete when a player picks up his dice. If he does so
without  playing all legal numbers (i.e., he only uses one of dice), the opposing player has the right to either force the player to use his remaining numbers or to fail to notice the error and continue play. A player who picks up his dice may not put them back on the board and resume his turn.

 Checker Movement

The movement of one checker can consist of the following:
•    Moving one or more checkers the number on each of the 2 dice thrown. Let’s take for example that the player rolled 5 and 3. Now he may choose one of the alternatives. He may either move the first checker 5 points forward, and another checker 3 points forward, or move one checker twice, so long as each move is independent of the other, i.e the checker is moved 5 points forward to an availabla point (See Checker Movement Rule 3) and then an additional 3 points. Because the order of movement is not fixed, it depends on the player, how will he move his checker. For example, he may choose to move his checker 3 points forward, and then 5.
•    Entering a checker from the bar which has been hit by an opponent (See Checker Movement Rule 3) the number of points shown on either dice, to an open point in the opponent’s home board.
•    Bearing off of a checker in the player’s home board, only once all of that player’s checkers have been moved into this quadrant.
2. If it happens, that doubles are rolled, the player is obliged to play each dice twice. Let’s take for example that the player has rolled 6-6. In this situation he nust move one or more his checkers a total of 24 pips (6 x 2+ 6 x 2 = 24).
3. The player may choose to move his checker to any point on which there are no other checkers, or to a point which is occupied by another of the player’s checkers. The player may also move his checker to the point, where is only one opposing checker- it is called a hit. In such case, the opponent’s hit checker is returned to the start of the game and placed on the bar to wait for re-rentry. However, if there are 2 or more opponent’s checkers in one point, the player is not allowed to move his checker to that point. Generally, it is impossible to have one of each player’s checkers on one point at the same time.
4. What possibilities has the player which checker has been hit and placed on the bar? If the player rolls a number which permits his checker to be moved to an open point, then the checker may re-enter through his opponent’s home board. If a player has more than one checker on the bar, he may not move any other checkers until all checkers on the bar are back in play.
5. As soon as all of a player’s checkers are moved into that player’s home board, he start to remove them from the board, or bear them off. How is it done?
* When the player is in position that permits bearing off, he may do it from the point corresponding to the number on a single die. For instance, a rolled 5 may be used to bear off a checker on the 4-point only if there are no other checkers occupying the 5-, or 6-point.

* When the number for an unoccupied point is thrown and there are no checkers on a higher number, no checker can be born off. For instance, if you roll a 3, you must move forward any checker that occupies 4-,5-, or 6- point, rather than bearing off one on the 1- or 2- points.

*You don’t have to bear off a checker if you can move another checker forward from another, higher point.
Player Error
1.    An error appearing in the set-up of the board must be corrected if either player notices it before the second play of the game has been made.
2.    Is some player notices that the other one has made an error in play regarding checker movement, he or she may signalize it and demand its correction. However he or she may do so only before a preceding throw, never after.
Scoring
1.    If a player bears off all of his checkers before his opponent, then a single game is won.
2.    A “Gammon” appears ( doubling the initial wager ) in case when at the time of one’s player’s victory, the opponent has not borne off any of his checkers.
3.    A “Backgammon” appears (tripling the initial wager ) in case when at the time of one player’s victory, the opponent has not borne off any of his checkers and has more checkers in the winner’s home board on the bar.
4.    To make the game more thrilling and complicated, the doubling cube is often used. In this way, the game is speeded up, the element of risk is intensified and the strategy is required.