Play a full game of backgammon in your browser: against the computer or with a friend on the same screen. Legal moves are highlighted, you can undo moves before ending your turn, and matches are scored with gammons, backgammons and an optional doubling cube.
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Game over
Click a checker, then a highlighted point (or the tray to bear off). Keys: R roll, U undo, Enter end turn, D double.
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How to use the Backgammon
Roll to start. Each side rolls one die; the higher number moves first using both dice.
Move your checkers. You play White and move counter-clockwise from the top right toward your home board at the bottom right. Click a checker, then a highlighted point.
Hit and enter. Landing on a single opposing checker sends it to the bar. A checker on the bar must re-enter in the opponent's home board before anything else moves.
Bear off. When all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, click the tray on the right to bear them off. The first to bear off all checkers wins.
Use Undo and End turn. You can take back moves until you press End turn. Before rolling you can offer a double if the cube is on.
Backgammon rules at a glance
Topic
Rule
Setup
Each player has 15 checkers: 2 on their 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point and 5 on the 6-point
Direction
White moves from 24 down to 1; Black moves the opposite way. Each moves toward their own home board (points 1-6)
Moving
Each die is a separate move. A checker can land on an empty point, a point you own, or a point with one opposing checker (a blot)
Doubles
Rolling the same number twice gives four moves of that number
Hitting
Landing on a blot sends it to the bar; it must re-enter before its owner moves anything else
Bearing off
Only when all your checkers are in your home board. Use the exact number, or a higher number for your rearmost checker
Scoring
Single game 1, gammon 2, backgammon 3, all multiplied by the doubling cube
Opening moves worth knowing
Strong players agree on the best way to play most opening rolls. Making a point early is valuable, especially your 5-point and 4-point.
Roll
Common best play
Why
3-1
8/5 6/5
Makes the 5-point, the most important point
4-2
8/4 6/4
Makes the 4-point
6-1
13/7 8/7
Makes the bar point, starting a blockade
5-3
8/3 6/3
Makes the 3-point
6-5
24/13
"Lover's leap": runs a back checker to safety
6-4
24/14, 24/18 13/9 or 8/2 6/2
Several plays are close in value
Tips to beat the computer
Build points in front of the enemy's back checkers. Consecutive made points (a prime) trap checkers behind them.
Count shots before leaving a blot. A blot 6 or fewer pips in front of an opposing checker can be hit directly about 11 times in 36 or more.
Watch the pip count. If you are well ahead in the race, break contact and run. If you are behind, keep anchors and wait for a shot.
Double when you are clearly ahead but not yet too good. A common guideline is to accept a double if you win at least 25% of the time.
Frequently asked questions
How do you win at backgammon?
Be the first to move all 15 of your checkers into your home board and then bear them all off. A normal win scores 1 point (times the cube). If the loser has not borne off any checker it is a gammon worth 2, and if the loser still has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home board it is a backgammon worth 3.
Do I have to use both dice?
Yes, if it is legally possible you must use both numbers (all four on doubles). If only one number can be played you must play it, and if either die could be played but not both, you must play the larger one. The game enforces these rules and only highlights moves that are part of a legal turn.
What happens when a checker is hit?
It goes to the bar in the middle of the board. Its owner must bring it back in through the opponent's home board, on the point matching a die (a 3 enters on the third point), before moving any other checker. A point with two or more opposing checkers is blocked.
How does the doubling cube work?
Before rolling, a player may offer to double the stakes. The opponent either accepts, taking ownership of the cube so only they can make the next double, or drops and loses the game at the current value. Here the cube starts at 1 (shown as 64 in the center) and is used in matches longer than 1 point.
What is the Crawford rule?
In match play, when one player first reaches one point short of winning the match, the next game is played without the doubling cube. This stops the trailing player from doubling freely when they have nothing to lose. Doubling is allowed again in later games.
How strong is the computer?
The computer looks at every legal way to play its roll and picks the one with the best score from a strategy evaluation: pip count, made points, primes, hitting, and the risk of leaving blots that can be hit. It is a casual opponent that plays sensible moves, not a neural-network expert.
What is the pip count?
The pip count is the total number of points a player needs to move all checkers home and off. At the start each side has 167 pips. The player with the lower count is ahead in the race, and the count updates after every move.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.