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
- Press New Game to start. The board is laid out in standard backgammon position — 2 checkers on each player's 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point, and 5 on the 6-point. White moves counter-clockwise toward home points 1-6, Black moves clockwise toward home points 19-24. The opening roll determines who goes first; ties are re-rolled.
- Click the dice to roll and see legal destinations highlighted. Each die value moves one checker that many points, and you must use both dice if any legal play exists — even if it costs you. Doubles play four times the rolled value (a double-5 gives you four 5-pip moves). If you cannot use a die, that value is forfeited.
- Click a checker, then click a highlighted point to move it. You can only land on points that are open (empty), your own (any number of your checkers), or hold exactly one opposing checker (a blot) — landing on a blot sends it to the bar. You cannot land on a point with two or more opposing checkers (a made point).
- If your checker gets hit and sent to the bar, you must re-enter it through your opponent's home board before making any other move. Roll a number matching an open point in their home (1-6 for White re-entering, 19-24 for Black). If both home points matching your dice are blocked, you forfeit the turn entirely — a closed-out game can stall for many rolls.
- Build a prime — a wall of 4-6 consecutive made points — to trap opposing blots behind it. A six-point prime is unjumpable; even doubles cannot escape. Hitting a blot and then making the point (a hit-and-cover) is one of the strongest plays in the game because it forces your opponent to re-enter through your defense.
- Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you may begin bearing off. Roll a number, then remove a checker from the matching point — a 4 bears off a checker from the 4-point. If the rolled point is empty, you must move within the home board OR bear off from the highest occupied point if no movement is possible. Get hit while bearing off and that checker goes back to the bar — a brutal swing.
- Win by bearing off all 15 checkers first. Picking the right strategy matters: choose a running game when you roll well early and gain a pip-count lead, a holding game (anchor on your opponent's home board) when you fall behind and need a hit to come back, or a priming game when you can build a wall before your opponent escapes their back checkers. Press New Game any time to try a different approach.
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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