Backgammon Game Rules

Backgammon is one of the most popular board games played throughout the world. A game of luck as well as skill, backgammon can be played as a harmless game between friends, or as a serious competition between punters.

Joining the Game
The game will not begin until two players join.

The first player to join is designated the 'leader' and uses the white pieces. The second player uses the black pieces.

The players take alternate turns in starting the game. The leader starts the first game, the second player starts the next game, and so on.

Rolling Dice
The rolling of dice takes place on the right-hand side of each player's board. To roll the dice, the player presses the 'ROLL' button.

Moving Pieces
Pieces are moved by first choosing the column in which the piece is located, and then choosing the piece's destination column. Moving a piece to an 'illegal' position will not be permitted. The Cursor will change shape when the player chooses a legal destination column. A player moves legally when the pieces moved correspond to the numbers shown on the dice, and when the destination column is either empty or occupied by an opponent's single piece.

When moving, a player cannot combine the numbers of each die and move in one go: the move must be divided into 2 parts according to each die, and move each die in single steps.

If there is no option to move, the turn automatically passes to the second player.
If there is an option to move, the player must move a piece.
If there is only an option to move one piece, the player must make the biggest possible move.

Taking Pieces
When a player lands on a column holding an opponent's single piece, there will be an animation of the piece 'disappearing', and it will reappear on the bar in the middle of the board. Taken pieces remain on the bar until released by a player.

Releasing Pieces
If one or more pieces are on the bar, a player cannot continue to play until all the pieces are 'released'. A piece is released when a number is rolled which can place the piece back on the board in the opponent's home quadrant. A special animation will accompany the release of a player's piece.

If a player takes an enemy piece upon release, there will be an animation indicating the taking of the enemy's piece, followed by an animation of the release of the player's piece.
If the player cannot manage to release a taken piece, or all the columns in the starting quadrant are taken by the opponent, the turn automatically passes to the second player.

Taking Pieces Off the Board
A player can only take pieces off the board when all the player's pieces are located in his/her quadrant. A piece is taken off by choosing it and placing it in the repository.

There will be an animation accompanying the removal of pieces.

Ending the Game
The winner of the game is the first player to remove all of his/her pieces from the board. There will be an animation to indicating a win.

Gammon - When a player removes all his/her pieces before the second player removes his/her first piece.

Backgammon - When a player removes all his/her pieces before the second player has removed any pieces, and has either a piece on the bar or in the opponent's home quadrant.

In addition, the leader can begin a new game at any stage of play.

Option Button
Players may stop/continue animations by pressing the Visual FX button.

Players may stop/continue voice effects by pressing the Sound FX button.