How To Play Backgammon - Moving Your Backgammon Chips

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

When you are ready to play backgammon, after setting up your backgammon chips and understanding the board, it can be just as confusing as learning the set up of the board itself. There are specific rules to playing backgammon and this article is going to show you just how to begin your first game.

After setting up the board, choosing which backgammon chips you will use, black, or white, and you are ready to play; it is time to grab the dice. Each player rolls one dice to determine who goes first. Depending upon how you decided to play, the first player will either use that roll for his or her move, or they will roll again.

When it comes to moving your backgammon chips, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, you will always move forward, never backwards. However, keep in mind that you will be moving against your opponent and vice versa. Your goal is to move your chips to your inner board. Now how you move your backgammon chips will be determined your dice roll. Now since you have two dice, you have two choices. Each number will represent one point. For example, if you roll a 5 and a 3, the 5 represents five points, the 3 represents three points on the board.

Now, for you this could mean moving two backgammon chips or one, depending on your strategy and availability. In other words, you can move one of your chips five points and another one of your pieces three points. On the other hand, you can even opt to move one dice eight points if you have an open path.

Now determining an open path is a little more difficult. The main thing to be watchful for is a point that has more than two of your opponent?s chips on it, which means a block, you cannot move your chips onto this spot. The only points your chips can land on are those containing your own chips, vacant, or those with just one of your opponents chips on them. If you have no legal moves, you have to forfeit your turn. In some cases, you may be able to legally move one chip, but not others, you will have to take this move.

Now a special case is when you roll doubles with the dice. In other words, if you were to roll two threes, you would have a variety of options available for moves. In this instance, you could move backgammon chips as followed:

- One chip twelve points
- Two chips six points (per chip)
- One chip nine points, as well as one chip three points
- Two chips three points (per chip), as well as another chip six points
- Four chips three points (per chip)

Now, you will notice above when I mentioned your backgammon chips can land on a space occupied by only one of your opponents chips. This chip is referred to as a blot, you landing on it constitutes an attack. Now, when you have landed on a point with your opponents chip on it, the chip will then need to be removed from the board. It is placed on the bar in the center of the board.

Now what is good about the blot is the fact that your opponent cannot make any other moves until they can legally move the blot from the center piece and it can only be moved into the inner board, which is like them starting all over again. The bad part of the blot is the fact that it can happen to you as well.
To win the game, you must have all your pieces on your inner board. This means they must all be on your one through six points. Then you can begin the ?bear off? part of the game, which is essentially removing your pieces from the board on your rolls. The first person to rid all of their backgammon chips from the board wins. You can obtain a double victory, however, if your opponent fails to bear any of their chips off the board. Now, to the name of the game, if your opponent has not reached the bear off phase and there are still any blots sitting on the bar or any chips within your side of the inner table, you are awarded Backgammon, which is a triple victory.