Play Backgammon for free
Backgammon is one of the oldest board games in the world: two players race their fifteen checkers round the board and off it, with two dice deciding how far they move. It mixes luck and skill in a way few games do. Here on Kitchen Table Cards you can play it free in your browser against Walter, a friendly computer player, with big checkers, numbered points, a Hint button and Undo. There is nothing to download and you do not need an account.
How to play · Moving · Hitting and the bar · Bearing off · Tips · Questions
How to play Backgammon
The board has 24 narrow triangles called points, in four quarters of six. Your home board is the bottom right quarter, points 1 to 6. You have 15 white checkers and Walter has 15 black ones. Each side starts with 2 checkers on its 24 point, 5 on its 13 point, 3 on its 8 point and 5 on its 6 point.
The goal is to bring all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all 15 wins.
To start, each player rolls one die. The higher number goes first and plays the two numbers rolled. After that you take turns rolling both dice.
Moving your checkers
- Two moves a turn: each die is one move. You can move one checker by each number, or one checker by both, one after the other.
- Doubles count four times: double five means four moves of five.
- Open points only: you can land on an empty point, a point with your own checkers, or a point with just one of Walter’s. A point with two or more of his checkers is blocked.
- Use both dice if you can: if only one number can be played, you must play the larger one when that is possible.
How to move on this site
| Roll | Press Roll on the board to throw the dice. |
|---|---|
| Tap a checker | The places it can go are marked with yellow rings. Tap one to move there. If there is only one place, the checker moves straight away. |
| Drag a checker | Hold the mouse button (or your finger) on a checker and move it to one of the rings. |
| Undo | Takes back a move you made this turn. |
| Hint | Suggests a good way to play your roll. |
| Settings | How well and how fast Walter plays, whether your turn waits for you to press Done, and the table colour. |
Hitting and the bar
A single checker alone on a point is called a blot. If Walter lands on your blot, it is hit and goes to the bar, the wooden strip in the middle of the board. Before you can move anything else, it must come back in on Walter’s home board, points 19 to 24 as you count them: a roll of 1 brings it in on point 24, a 6 on point 19. If those points are blocked, you can't move at all. The same goes for Walter’s checkers when you hit them.
Two or more checkers on a point make it safe. They can't be hit, and they block Walter from landing there.
Bearing off
Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you can bear them off. A 3 bears off a checker from the 3 point, a 6 from the 6 point. If you roll a number higher than your highest checker, you can bear off from your highest point. You can also use a roll to move a checker inside your home board instead. If one of your checkers is hit while you are bearing off, it must come back in and all the way home before you can bear off again.
Tips for winning at Backgammon
- Make points. Two checkers together are safe. Points in your home board, and your 7 point, make it hard for Walter’s back checkers to escape.
- Learn the best opening moves. With 3-1, move 8 to 5 and 6 to 5 to make your 5 point. With 6-1, move 13 to 7 and 8 to 7.
- Leave fewer blots. A blot far from Walter’s checkers is safer than one close by. A checker six points away or less is easiest to hit.
- Build a prime. Six blocked points in a row are a wall Walter can't get past.
- Watch the pip count. When you are ahead in the race, get your checkers home safely. When you are behind, hold on to points in Walter’s home board and wait for a shot.
Backgammon questions and answers
Is this Backgammon game free?
Yes. Backgammon on Kitchen Table Cards is completely free to play in your browser. There is no download, no sign-up and nothing to buy.
Can I play Backgammon against the computer?
Yes. You play against Walter, a computer player. In the Settings you can choose whether he plays his best or gently, making the odd mistake, and how fast he moves.
Which way do the checkers move?
Your white checkers move from point 24 down to point 1, round the board like a horseshoe, and are borne off past point 1. Walter’s black checkers move the other way. The points are numbered on the board as you count them.
What happens when you roll a double?
A double is played four times. With double three, for example, you move four times three: one checker twelve points, four checkers three points each, or anything in between.
Do you have to use both dice?
Yes, if you can. If only one of the two numbers can be played, you must play it, and if either one could be played but not both, you must play the larger. If neither can be played, your turn is over. The game only lets you make moves that follow these rules.
What is a blot, and what happens when it is hit?
A blot is a single checker alone on a point. If the other player lands on it, it is hit and goes to the bar in the middle of the board. It must then come back in, in the other player’s home board, before any of your other checkers can move.
When can I bear off?
Only when all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, points 1 to 6. A roll of 4 bears off a checker from the 4 point. A higher number than you need can bear off from your highest point when there is nothing on the points above it.
What are a gammon and a backgammon?
If you bear off all your checkers before Walter has borne off any, it is a gammon and counts two points. If he also still has a checker on the bar or in your home board, it is a backgammon and counts three. The points add up over your games.
Is there a doubling cube?
No. The doubling cube is used in match and money play to raise the stakes, but here every game is played on its own, for one, two or three points, so you can simply enjoy the game.
What is the pip count?
The pip count is how many points all your checkers still have to travel to be borne off. Both players start with 167. The one with the lower count is ahead in the race. It is shown above the board for both of you.
Does the game save my progress?
Yes. Your current game is saved automatically on your device. If you close the page and come back later, you can carry on where you left off.
Can I play Backgammon on a tablet or phone?
Yes. Tap a checker and the places it can go are marked; tap one to move there, or drag the checker with your finger. On a phone held upright the board is turned so the checkers are bigger.
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