Backgammon
Backgammon is a board game for 2 players that takes about 15 minutes. Roll two dice, race your fifteen checkers home, and the first player to bear them all off wins. Free. In-browser. No account.
Play over time
Backgammon in 30 seconds
- Set upTwo checkers on your 24 point, five on your 13, three on your 8 and five on your 6. Each player rolls one die; the higher roll starts.
- Take turnsPress Roll to roll two dice at the start of your turn. After 25 seconds they roll automatically, unless you can offer a double. Move one checker per die, and use as many dice as you legally can. Doubles give you four moves.
- HitYou may not land on a point held by two or more enemy checkers. Land on a lone one and it goes to the bar, and nothing else moves until it comes back in.
- WinOnce all fifteen of your checkers are home (points 1 to 6) you can bear them off. First to bear off all fifteen wins.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 15 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | Yes |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-14 |
How to play Backgammon online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- Two players. You need a board of 24 points, fifteen checkers each and two dice.
- Place two checkers on your 24 point, five on your 13, three on your 8 and five on your 6. Your opponent mirrors you.
- Your home board is the bottom right, points 1 to 6. Checkers travel from 24 down to 1, anticlockwise.
- Each player rolls one die to start. The higher roll plays first and uses those two numbers as the opening roll. Equal dice are rolled again.
How to play
- Press Roll at the start of your turn. After 25 seconds the dice roll automatically, unless you can offer a double.
- Move a checker the number of pips shown on a die, towards your lower numbers. The two dice may be played by one checker in sequence or by two different checkers.
- Doubles let you play that number four times.
- You may not land on a point holding two or more enemy checkers. Empty points, your own points, and points with a single enemy checker are all open to you.
- Landing on a single enemy checker sends it to the bar. That is a hit.
- While you have a checker on the bar, nothing else may move. Re-enter at point 25 minus the die on the displayed board (for example, 22 for a 3), in your opponent's home board, then play the dice left. If neither die lets you enter, your turn is over.
- You must use as many dice as you legally can. If there is a way to play both, you must play both; if only one number can be played, you must play the higher one. With no legal move at all, the dice and the reason are shown on the board and then your turn is skipped.
- While dice are still unused you can Undo back to the start of your turn. Once every die is used, play passes automatically.
Winning
- When all fifteen of your checkers are home (points 1 to 6), you may start bearing off: a die takes a checker off the matching point.
- If no checker sits on a higher point than the die, you may bear off from your highest occupied point instead.
- Being hit during the bear-off sends that checker to the bar, and you cannot bear off again until all fifteen are home once more.
- The first player to bear off all fifteen wins. If the loser has borne off none, it is a gammon and counts double; if they also have a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, it is a backgammon and counts triple.
- With the doubling cube switched on, you may double only at the start of your turn, before you roll. Your opponent either takes — doubling the stake — or drops, ending the game at the current value.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gammon and backgammonGammon and backgammonBearing off means moving your checkers off the board. A gammon is winning before your opponent has borne off a single checker, worth 2 points; a backgammon is a gammon where they also still have a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board, worth 3. With this off, every win is worth 1 point. | Count double when your opponent has borne off nothing, and triple when they also have a checker on the bar or in your home board. | On | Yes |
| Doubling cubeDoubling cubeThe doubling cube shows the multiplier on this game's points. If you think you are ahead, offer to double before you roll; your opponent either takes (play on at twice the stake) or drops (loses now at the current stake). Only the player who took can offer the next double. The multiplier also applies to gammons. | Offer to double the stake at the start of your turn, before you roll. Taking doubles it; dropping ends the game at the current value. From 2 up to 64. | Off | Yes |
Related features: Board Game History: Games by Date / Types of Sugoroku and How to Play / Dice Games: Compare Types, Rules and Uses of Rolls
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FAQ
How many players?
Two. Each rolls a single die to start, and the higher roll plays first.
How long is a game?
About 15 minutes. There is no clock.
Can I practise alone?
Yes. Press Play vs CPU to play the computer, at either Easy or Normal.
Do I roll the dice myself?
Press Roll to roll them. After 25 seconds from the start of your turn, they roll automatically, unless you can offer a double. The rolls come from the game's seed, so replaying the same game gives the same dice.
Can I take a move back?
Yes, while dice are still unused: Undo returns you to the start of your turn. Once every die has been played the turn passes automatically and cannot be taken back.
Is the doubling cube available?
Yes, as a house rule. Switch it on and you may double at the start of your turn, before rolling. It is off by default.
Can I play at school or work (unblocked)?
Yes. Backgammon runs entirely in your browser, with nothing to download or install, so it works on most school and work networks that block app stores or game downloads. If your network blocks the whole site, ask an administrator to allow boardgamejoin.com.
Is there a 2 player mode?
Yes — Backgammon is played by exactly 2 people.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Press “Play vs CPU” on the Backgammon page to start right away against a computer opponent — no waiting for other players.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can I play online with friends far away?
Yes. Start a party and send its invite link. Friends can join in their browsers without signing up.
Is there an app?
This is a free app that runs in your browser. No installation is needed.
Can we play without being online at the same time?
Yes. Choose “Turn-based (told each turn)” and you can make one move whenever you like. We tell you when it is your turn. A Party ends automatically, with no winner or loser, after 45 days without a move.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
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Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-14 · Run by Qdan, Inc.