Backgammon Rules

Welcome to our guide on how to play backgammon, one of the oldest known board games, combining luck and strategy. Here, we’ll walk you through the game’s rules and mechanics in detail so you can confidently play.

Objective of the Game:
The goal of backgammon is to move all your checkers around the board and into your home board, then bear them off (remove them) before your opponent does. The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins.

Setup:

  1. Board Layout: The backgammon board consists of 24 narrow triangles, called points, in alternating colors. These are divided into four quadrants: the player’s home board and outer board, and the opponent’s home board and outer board.

  2. Checker Placement: Each player starts with 15 checkers. They are arranged as follows:

    • 2 checkers on each player’s 24-point

    • 5 checkers on each player’s 13-point

    • 3 checkers on each player’s 8-point

    • 5 checkers on each player’s 6-point

  3. Dice and Doubling Cube: Each player rolls two dice per turn to determine the number of points (pips) they can move checkers. The doubling cube, marked with numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64, is used to increase the stakes of the game.

Gameplay:

  1. Movement:

    • Players take turns rolling two dice. The numbers rolled dictate how many points you can move your checkers. Each die represents a separate move. For instance, if you roll a 3 and a 5, you can move one checker 3 points and another 5 points, or move one checker a total of 8 points.

    • You must move checkers forward (toward your home board), and all moves must be legal. If you can’t move legally, you forfeit your turn.

  2. Hitting and Blocking:

    • If a point has only one of the opponent’s checkers, it’s a “blot.” You can hit a blot by landing on it, sending the opponent’s checker to the bar (middle of the board). The opponent must re-enter this checker on their next turn before moving other checkers.

    • A point with two or more checkers is “made” and blocks the opponent from landing there.

  3. Bearing Off:

    • Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, you can start bearing off. This means removing checkers from the board based on your dice rolls.

    • You can only bear off checkers that match or are higher than the dice roll. If there are no checkers in the higher points, you may bear off from the next highest occupied point.

Winning the Game:
The first player to bear off all checkers wins. Variations of winning include gammon (losing player has not borne off any checkers) and backgammon (losing player has checkers in the winner's home board or on the bar), each impacting scoring in match play.

Our Story: How We Created Games at Creates Cool

Our journey into designing games began with a shared appreciation for the beauty of classic tabletop games, and backgammon quickly became our starting point. This timeless game, with its blend of strategy, chance, and elegant simplicity, sparked an idea: Could we create a backgammon set that was both portable and refined, one that captured the game’s essence while making it accessible for modern players on the go?

From the start, I envisioned Creates Cool as a design studio that could bring creativity to all kinds of products, not just buildings. While we’ve crafted custom interiors, furniture, and fixtures, we felt the urge to branch out, taking our design skills beyond physical spaces. The challenge of designing our first products—games—was an exciting shift that would test our team’s ability to blend playfulness with precision.

As we explored this new design space, our goals became clear. We wanted to reinvent the backgammon set to be compact and durable, ideal for travel but still rich in craftsmanship. Collaborating with Antiform, a soft goods creator in Salt Lake City, taught us the intricacies of merging digital designs with tangible materials. We discovered that creating a roll-up board with high-quality stitching and thoughtful design required as much detail as any architectural project. Working through prototypes, we learned that designing for play required us to rethink each element of usability, portability, and feel.

Ultimately, we developed three unique products: a travel cribbage board, a roll-up backgammon set, and a deck of playing cards. Each piece is crafted to fit seamlessly into life on the move—whether for a weekend road trip, a day outdoors, or casual moments at home. Our backgammon set, in particular, reflects the timeless appeal of the game with a modern twist, designed to invite both seasoned players and newcomers.

Stepping beyond the built environment has not only expanded our skills but has also reinforced our belief in versatile design. We’re thrilled to continue growing Creates Cool’s product line, crafting playful yet thoughtfully designed pieces that bring joy to everyday life. This journey into game design has only just begun, and we look forward to exploring where it leads us next.