Backgammon Objective
The object of backgammon is to move all of your checkers according to the numbers shown on each throw of your dice into your home board. Once all of the checkers are in the home board, players can start the bear off. The winner is the player who bears off all of their checkers first.
Backgammon is a very popular game for two people. Backgammon is played on a board c made up of 24 triangles, and in backgammon they are referred to as points. There are four groups, called quadrants, of six triangles each. Players refer to the quadrants as their home board and outer board, and to the opposing player's home and outer boards. The outer boards are separated down the center of the board by a bar called a ridge.
How to play backgammon
At the start of the backgammon game, each player has fifteen checkers in one color on their home board. The opposing player has a different color. Each player has their individual dice cup for shaking their two dice.
To keep track of the game, a doubling cube is used. This special cube displays 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 indicating the game's most recent bet.
To start the game, each player throws one die deciding who goes first. If the same number is rolled, then the two players roll again until they roll different numbers. The player throwing the higher number moves his checkers first according to the total showing on both dice. After the first roll, the players throw two dice and take turns.
The roll of the dice shows how many points (pips) the player is to move their checkers. The checkers are always moved forward to a lower-numbered point according to these rules:
1. A checker is moved only to an open point, in other words, one that is not occupied by two or more checkers of an opposing player.
2. The numbers on the two dice make up separate moves. If a player rolls 6 and 1, they can move one checker six spaces to an open point and another checker one space to an open point, otherwise they may move the one checker a total of seven spaces to an open point, on the condition that the middle point (either six spaces or one space from the starting point) is open.
3. When a player rolls doubles, they play the numbers shown on the dice twice. A roll of three and three means that the player has four threes to use. The player has the option to move any combination (one, two, three or four) of their checkers.
4. A player must use both numbers of a roll if this is a legally move according to the rules of backgammon, and in the case of a double roll all four numbers. In the case when only one number can be played, the player must play that number. When either number can be played, but not both numbers, the player must play the higher number. When none of the numbers can be played, the player forfeits his turn. In the case of doubles, when all four numbers cannot be played, the player must play the maximum number possible.
Gammons & Backgammons
At the conclusion of the game, if the losing player has borne a minimum of one checker, they lose only the value showing on the doubling cube, in this case one point, if there has been no doubles.
On the other hand, if the loser has not borne off any of his checkers, they are gammoned and lose twice the value of the doubling cube.
In the worst case scenario, if the loser has not borne off any checkers and still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, they are backgammoned and lose three times the value of the doubling cube!
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