Backgammon is a board game for two
players in which the playing pieces are moved according to the roll of
dice. Players win by removing all of their pieces from the board. There
are many variants of backgammon, most of which share common traits.
Backgammon is a member of the tables family, one of the oldest classes
of board games in the world.
Although luck plays an important role, there is a large scope for
strategy. With each roll of the dice players must choose from numerous
options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves
by the opponent. Players may raise the stakes during the game. There is
an established repertoire of common tactics and occurrences.
Backgammon playing pieces are known variously as checkers, stones, men,
counters, pawns, or chips.
The objective is to remove (bear off) all of one's own checkers from the
board before one's opponent can do the same. The checkers are scattered
at first and may be blocked or hit by the opponent. As the playing time
for each individual game is short, it is often played in matches, where
victory is awarded to the first player to reach a certain number of
points.
To start the game, each player rolls one die, and the player with the
higher number moves first using both the numbers shown. Both dice must
land completely flat on the right hand side of the gameboard. The
players then alternate turns, rolling two dice at the beginning of each
turn. After rolling the dice players must, if possible, move their
checkers according to the number of pips shown on each die. For example,
if the player rolls a 6 and a 3 (notated as "6-3"), that player must
move one checker six points forward, and another or the same checker
three points forward. The same checker may be moved twice as long as the
two moves are distinct: six and then three, or three and then six. If a
player rolls two of the same number, called doubles, that player must
play each die twice.
A Back game is a strategy of placing two or more anchors in an
opponent's home board, while building a prime in one's own board. The
anchors obstruct the opponent's checkers and create opportunities to hit
them as they move home. The Back game is generally used only to salvage a
game wherein a player is already significantly behind; using a backgame
as an initial strategy is usually unsuccessful.
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