Ban-sugoroku
Ban-sugoroku is the old Japanese form of backgammon, played from Heian courtiers to Edo townsfolk. Two players race fifteen stones home with two dice.
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Ban-sugoroku in 30 seconds
- Set upA board of 12 points on each side, fifteen stones each, in the same starting position as backgammon. The first seat starts, and the start alternates every game.
- Take turnsTwo dice are rolled for you. Move one stone per die. Doubles still move only twice.
- CutYou may not stop on a point with two or more enemy stones. Stop on a lone one and it is cut — taken off to the middle of the board.
- WinThe moment all fifteen stones are in your home (In 1 to In 6), you win. If your opponent then has a cut stone and all six home points are closed, the win counts double — triple with the right shape.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2 players |
| Play time | About 15 min |
| Type | Board |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-26 |
How to play Ban-sugoroku 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. The board has twelve points on each side. On your side, from the left, they are In 1 to In 6 (your home) and Out 6 to Out 1. Your opponent names their side the same way.
- Black and white have fifteen stones each. From your side: two on their In 1, five on their Out 1, three on your Out 5 and five on your In 6 — the same as backgammon. Your opponent mirrors you.
- Your stones travel right along the top row from their In 1, drop to the bottom row at the right-hand end, and travel left to your home at the bottom left. Your opponent goes the other way.
- The starting player is decided in advance: the first seat starts by rolling both dice, and the start alternates on every Play again. A house rule has each player roll one die instead, the higher starting and then rolling both dice.
How to play
- Two dice are rolled for you at the start of your turn. There is no roll button.
- Move a stone the number shown on a die. The two dice may be played by one stone in sequence or by two stones.
- Doubles move only twice — not four times as in modern backgammon.
- You may not stop on a point holding two or more enemy stones. Empty points, your own points and points with a single enemy stone are open.
- Stopping on a single enemy stone cuts it: it goes to the band in the middle of the board.
- While you have a cut stone, nothing else may move. Bring it back in on your opponent's home at the point matching a die, then play what is left. If neither die lets it in, your turn is over.
- Use as many dice as you legally can: both if any order allows it, otherwise the higher one. With no legal move at all, your turn is skipped.
- While dice are still unused you can Undo back to the start of your turn.
Winning
- Iri-gachi: you win the moment all fifteen of your stones are in your home. Any die left over is not played.
- Mushi-gachi: if, when you win, your opponent has a cut stone and all six of your home points hold two or more of your stones, the win counts double.
- Mujō-gachi: if your home is then stacked 2-2-2-3-3-3 or 2-3-2-3-2-3, the win counts triple.
- A house rule makes that closed-home shape (muji-gachi) win on the spot instead, or switches it off.
- Another house rule switches to the earlier Edo rule of bearing off: once all fifteen are home, take them off the board, and the first to take all fifteen off wins.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to finishHow to finishYour home is the six points (inner 1 to inner 6) where your stones finish. Iri-gachi wins the moment all fifteen are home. Bearing off also requires taking every stone off the board after that; it is closer to modern backgammon and takes a little longer. | Iri-gachi (late Edo): win the moment all fifteen stones are in your home. Bearing off (early Edo): once all fifteen are home, take them off the board — exactly by the die, or your furthest stone when no stone is further than the die — and the first to take all fifteen off wins. | Iri-gachi | Adjustable |
| Muji-gachiMuji-gachiA cut stone is one that has been hit and sits off the board; its owner cannot move anything else until it re-enters. So if your opponent has a cut stone and you block all six of your home points, they cannot move (muji). “Bigger win” makes finishing in that shape count double or triple, “Win on the spot” wins as soon as you make it, and “Off” gives it no special effect. | Your opponent has a cut stone and all six of your home points hold two or more of your stones. "Bigger win" follows Jun Kusaba of the Japan Backgammon League: winning with that shape counts double, and triple with a home of 2-2-2-3-3-3 or 2-3-2-3-2-3. "Win on the spot" follows the Japanese and English Wikipedia: making the shape wins at once. | Bigger win | Adjustable |
| Who starts | Alternate: the first seat starts by rolling both dice, and the start alternates on every Play again (Jun Kusaba). Roll: each player rolls one die and the higher starts, then rolls both dice (Japanese Wikipedia). | Alternate | Adjustable |
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FAQ
Is this the same as sugoroku, the Japanese board race game?
No. The paper sugoroku (e-sugoroku) is a picture race game for any number of players. Ban-sugoroku is a two-player board game in the backgammon family. In the Edo period both were simply called sugoroku.
How is it different from backgammon?
The start, the moves and hitting are the same. Doubles move only twice, you win by getting all fifteen stones home without bearing off, that win counts double if your home is closed while your opponent has a cut stone, and there is no doubling cube.
How many players?
Two. On your own, press Play vs CPU and choose Easy or Normal.
How long is a game?
About 15 minutes, or about 20 with bearing off. There is no clock.
Do I roll the dice myself?
They are rolled for you at the start of your turn, and the old name of the roll is shown next to them.
Can I take a move back?
While dice are still unused, Undo returns you to the start of your turn.
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 two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
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 table 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 late Edo rule set (iri-gachi) described by Jun Kusaba of the Japan Backgammon League.
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Last updated 2026-09-26 · Run by Qdan, Inc.