Things You'll Need:
- Backgammon board
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Step 1
Set up the board. Count in a counterclockwise direction from the point close on your left. Place five of your checkers on the six point, three on the eight point, five on the 13 point, and two on the 24 point. Have your opponent do the same.
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Step 2
Determine who goes first. You can do this any way you like, but traditionally, each player rolls one die and the high roll goes first.
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Step 3
Roll your dice and move your checkers counter-clockwise along the points or "pips" as they are called. You can only move your checker to an open point which is one not occupied by two or more opposing checkers.
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Step 4
Move all the pips that you roll on the dice if it is legally possible. If you can only play one of the dice, you have to play the larger one.
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Step 5
Land your checker on a pip with an opponents checker on it. Such a pip is referred to as a "blot." When this happens, place the opponents checker on the bar in the middle.
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Step 6
Keep rolling and moving your checkers counter clockwise along the pips until you have gotten them all on your home side of the board.
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Step 7
Bear off to win the game. That is to say, when you have gotten all your checkers on your home board, roll the numbers of the pips your checkers reside on to remove them.
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Step 8
Double when appropriate. You can use the doubling die (sitting on the bar) to double the stakes of the game when you think you’re ahead enough.
