Rules of Modern Backgammon — The Code of War

The game is played on a board with 24 narrow triangles called Points. These are divided into four quadrants:

• Home Board — your final fortress.
• Outer Board — the middle ground.

These sections are separated by a central ridge known as the Bar.

Your mission is clear: move all 15 soldiers safely through enemy lines into your Home Board and then bear them off. The first commander to evacuate all troops wins the day.

• First strike. Each player rolls one die. The higher roll moves first using both numbers.
• Forward only. Checkers always move forward (towards lower-numbered points).
• Open point. You can only land on a point not occupied by 2 or more enemy checkers.
• Separate moves. Dice numbers are distinct moves — e.g. a 5-3 roll can move one checker 8 spaces, or two checkers separately.
• Doubles. Rolling doubles (e.g., 6-6) quadruples your power; you play the number four times.
• Forced play. You must use both numbers if possible. If only one can be played, the higher number takes precedence.

• Hitting. If an opponent lands on your blot, your soldier is hit and sent to the Bar (exile).
• Re-entry. A player with a checker on the Bar cannot make other moves until the checker re-enters the game via the opponent’s home board.

Once all 15 checkers are gathered in your Home Board, the evacuation begins:

• Remove checkers corresponding to the dice roll.
• If no checker is on the rolled point, you must bear off from a higher-numbered point.

Before rolling, if you sense an advantage, you may propose to Double the stakes. The opponent must either Take (accept doubling) or Pass (resign the game immediately for 1 point).

Victory is not always singular — the depth of defeat matters.

Normal Win

×1

Standard victory

Gammon

×2

Opponent bore off zero

Backgammon

×3

Opponent still in your home or on the Bar

• Cocked dice. Dice must land flat. If a die lands tilted, the roll is void.
• Illegal moves. If an illegal move is made, the opponent has the right to accept it or demand a correction.
• Turn etiquette. Rolling before the opponent has finished their turn voids your roll.