Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games and can trace its history back 5,000 years. It is believed to have gotten its origins in what is now modern day Iran, but has moved throughout the world. It is a game of both luck and strategy. Although it is relatively easy to learn, the nuances of the game take time to master, making it an enjoyable game for children and adults alike. There are many variances to the game. We are presenting the very basics of the game. If your family enjoys backgammon, you may want to read more about the game play and strategy. Learn how to make your own Backgammon Game and follow our instructions to get started playing this enthralling game!

Materials Needed for Backgammon Game

• 2 players
• backgammon board patterns: blue and green 
• white card stock paper
• 30 playing pieces, 15 for each player of the same color*
• packing tape
• 2 dice
• or you can purchase a backgammon game or combination board (optional)

Make A Backgammon Game

Make copies of the blue and green backgammon boards on card stock paper. Cut out the board and the game pieces. We like to cover the game pieces with packing tape before we cut them out so they will last longer. *Note: you can also use buttons, coins, games pieces from other games, etc. instead of cutting out 30 pieces. From the back, tape the two game board pieces together so the bar is in the center.

Goal of Backgammon Game

To be the first person to remove all their playing pieces from the board

Setup of Backgammon Game

Players sit across from one another with the board between them. The players’ home boards are directly in front of them.

Each person takes their 15 playing pieces and sets them up as shown below.

The game board is made up of 24 blue and green triangles known as points. The object of the game is to move all of your pieces into your home board, and then “bear them off” (take them off) of the board. In the illustration, the green player moves its pieces in a counter-clockwise manner and the blue player in a clockwise manner. As you move around the board, you try to hit as many of your opponents unprotected pieces as possible.

To Begin the Game

To determine who goes first, both players roll one die on the board. The highest roll goes first. These dice remain on the board and the first player uses the numbers for their first move.

Moving Your Pieces

• You must always move forward in the direction indicated earlier. You may never go backwards.
• You may only land on an open point, which is defined as a point not occupied by 2 or more of your opponent’s pieces.
• You may choice to move one piece the combined total of the two dice or you may move two pieces the count of each individual die. In order to move one piece the combined total, your piece must be able to stop on an open point determined by either dice before continuing.
• Any number of the same colored pieces can occupy the same point.
• If you roll doubles, you must move double the number on the dice. In other words, if you roll 2 fives, you must move a total of 4 fives, using 1 – 4 pieces in any combination of 5 spaces that adds up to 20. Remember, you must be able to stop on an open point for each of the 5s moved.
• When possible, you must move the full count of the dice. If only 1 piece can be moved, you must move that piece. If you can move either piece, but not by both, you must move the piece that can use the large count. If you cannot not move any of your pieces, you lose that turn.

Hitting A Piece

If one of your pieces lands on a point occupied by a single opponent’s piece, the opponent’s piece is removed from the playing field and placed on the bar that divides the board. Your opponent must now re-enter the playing field as soon as possible, onto an open point in your home board. To do this, the player rolls the dice on their turn. If one of the dice corresponds to an open spot in your home board, their piece takes that spot. If they cannot get off the bar, they lose their turn. They may not move any of their other pieces until all of their pieces are off the bar. Sometimes a player can lose many turns before they can get off the bar.

Bearing Off

After all 15 of your pieces have been moved into your home board, you may begin taking them off the board (bearing off). To do this, you must roll a die that corresponds to a point that one of your pieces occupies. If your dice do not match any of your pieces, but you are able to move your piece(s) within your home board, you must do so. If you roll a 6 and you no longer have a piece on the 6 point, you may use that die to remove one of the next highest pieces. This continues as pieces are removed from the 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 points. If you roll doubles, you can use the roll to remove or move 4 pieces.

If at any time one of your pieces is hit by your opponent and you are placed on the bar, you must roll to re-enter the playing field, and return that piece to your home board, before you can resume removing pieces.

To Win

The first person to move all of their pieces off the board wins.