About Backgammon
Play backgammon free online against the computer. Roll dice, move checkers, and race to bear off first. No sign-up, no ads — works on any device.
How to use
- Click the dice to roll and see your available moves highlighted on the board. Each die can move a separate checker, or both dice values can be applied to a single checker if both intermediate and final landing points are open. Doubles let you play four moves instead of two, which can swing the game dramatically.
- Click a checker to select it, then click a valid point to move it. You can only land on points that are open (unoccupied or occupied by your own checkers) or that hold a single opposing checker, which gets sent to the bar. Strategic use of hitting — sending your opponent's checkers to the bar — is one of the most important skills in backgammon.
- Move all 15 of your checkers into your home board (the last six points), then bear them off by rolling numbers that correspond to occupied points. You must use exact rolls or higher to bear off from the highest occupied point. The first player to bear off all checkers wins the game.
- Experiment with different strategies to find what works best against each difficulty level. A running game focuses on racing your checkers home as fast as possible, while a blocking game builds a wall of consecutive points (called a prime) to trap your opponent's checkers behind it. Advanced players blend both approaches depending on the dice and board position.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play backgammon?
Backgammon is a two-player race game played on a board with 24 narrow triangles called points. Each player has 15 checkers that move in opposite directions around the board based on dice rolls. On each turn, you roll two dice and move your checkers forward by the values shown — you can split the dice between two checkers or apply both to one. The goal is to move all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off before your opponent does the same. If you land on a point occupied by a single opposing checker (a blot), that checker is hit and sent to the bar, forcing your opponent to re-enter it from the beginning.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes — this free backgammon game includes a computer opponent with multiple difficulty settings. The easier levels make occasional suboptimal moves, giving beginners a chance to learn the rules and basic strategy. Higher difficulty levels play a strong positional game, making intelligent decisions about when to hit, when to build primes, and when to race. You can change the difficulty at any time and play as many games as you want directly in your browser.
What is the doubling cube in backgammon?
The doubling cube is a die marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64, used in competitive backgammon to raise the stakes of a game. At the start of any turn before rolling, a player can propose to double the current game value. The opponent must either accept (take) the double and continue at higher stakes, or refuse (drop) and concede the game at the current value. The doubling cube adds a deep layer of strategy to backgammon beyond the board play itself, requiring players to evaluate their winning chances precisely.
What is a backgammon prime?
A prime is a wall of six consecutive points occupied by two or more of your checkers. Because a checker can only advance by 1 to 6 points per die, an opponent's checker trapped behind a full six-point prime has zero legal moves and must wait until the prime breaks. Building a prime in front of your opponent's back checkers is one of the strongest positional strategies in backgammon. Even a partial prime of four or five consecutive points creates serious problems for your opponent.
Is backgammon a game of luck or skill?
Backgammon combines both luck and skill, but skill dominates over the long run. While each individual roll is random, the decisions you make — which checkers to move, when to hit, when to play safe, and when to take risks — are what separate strong players from beginners. Studies of competitive backgammon show that expert players win significantly more often than average players over a series of games. The dice create short-term variance, but the better strategist wins in the long run.
How old is backgammon?
Backgammon is one of the oldest known board games in human history, with origins dating back roughly 5,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. Archaeologists discovered game boards resembling backgammon in the Royal Cemetery at Ur in modern-day Iraq. Variations of the game spread through the Roman Empire (as Tabula), Persia, and eventually medieval Europe. The modern rules and name "backgammon" became established in 17th-century England. Today it remains one of the most popular two-player board games worldwide, enjoyed in cafes from Istanbul to New York.
Is this game free?
Completely free with no ads, no sign-up, and no downloads required. The game runs entirely in your browser on any device — phone, tablet, or desktop computer. Your game state is maintained as long as the page is open, so you can take your time thinking through each move. Try it alongside other classic strategy games like
Chess or
Solitaire.
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