Backgammon

Roll, move and be first to bear off all 15 checkers

Offline

Play against bots, no connection needed.

Match length
Doubling cube
Bot skill

Online play

Match with other players. Start when the table is full.

Live matches

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How to play

  • Each player has 15 checkers that move in opposite directions around 24 points. The first to bear off all 15 checkers wins the game.
  • At the start of each game, each player rolls one die, and the higher roll moves first using both numbers. After that, players take turns rolling two dice.
  • Each number is a separate move, with the same checker or two different ones. Doubles are played four times.
  • A checker can't land on a point held by two or more opposing checkers. Landing on a point with a single opposing checker hits it and sends it to the bar.
  • A hit checker must re-enter in the opponent's home board. Until it does, no other checker can move.
  • If both numbers can be played, you must play both. If only one can, you must play the larger one when possible. If no move is possible, the turn is lost.
  • You can bear off only after all 15 checkers are in your home board. An exact roll bears off a checker; a roll higher than your highest occupied point bears off a checker from that highest point.
  • If your opponent hasn't borne off any checkers, it's a gammon, worth 2 points. If they also still have a checker on the bar or in your home board, it's a backgammon, worth 3. Otherwise it's a single game, worth 1.
  • Before rolling, you can offer a double to double the game's value. If your opponent accepts, they take the doubling cube, and only they can double next. They can also drop, losing the game at its value before the double.
  • The first player to reach the match length (1, 3, 5 or 7 points) wins the match. The game right after someone gets within 1 point of winning is the Crawford game, with no doubling.
  • Online, each move has a time limit; on timeout, the game rolls or moves for you as a bot would, and auto-play starts. Resigning loses the whole match.

Playing guide

These options and rules describe the current JoyPip version. Choose a mode above before starting; rules are also available during play.

Step-by-step examples

Select a step to see what changes. These are partial examples, not full starting positions.

Practice options

Match length
1 point (single game) · 3 points · 5 points · 7 points
Doubling cube
On · Off
Bot skill
Beginner · Normal · Expert

Private room options

Match length
1 point (single game) · 3 points · 5 points · 7 points
Doubling cube
On · Off
Time per move
30 seconds · 45 seconds · 90 seconds

Detailed rules and controls

Scoring
  • Single game: 1 point.
  • Gammon: your opponent hasn't borne off any checkers, 2 points.
  • Backgammon: your opponent hasn't borne off any checkers and still has one on the bar or in your home board, 3 points.
  • Each game's points are multiplied by the number on the doubling cube, up to 64.
  • A player who drops a double loses the game at its value before the double.
Double
  • While the cube is in the middle, either player can double; the player who accepts takes the cube and is the only one who can double next.
  • You can only double before your own roll.
  • No doubling in the Crawford game (the game after someone gets within 1 point of winning); doubling is allowed again in later games.
  • 1-point matches don't use doubling.
Controls
  • Tap a glowing checker, then a highlighted destination; to move one checker by both numbers, you can tap its final destination directly.
  • When you're done, tap “OK” to submit. Before that, you can tap “Undo” to take back a step.
  • If there's only one possible move, it's made for you; if you can't double, the dice are rolled automatically.
  • “Pips” next to each seat is the pip count: the total number of pips still needed to bear off all checkers.

Frequently asked questions

Can you land on a point with only one opposing checker?

With an opening roll of 6 and 5, a common play is to move one back checker from the 24-point 6 and then 5 to the 13-point, joining the checkers there and leaving no blot for your opponent to hit. Before moving, check which points have a single checker, then count which rolls would let your opponent hit it.

Do I need a download or a linked email?

Play directly in your browser without a download. Linking email is an optional way to recover your account. Before clearing browser data, consider whether you need to keep your account or local records.

Do matches earn or spend coins?

Earn coins by checking in and spend them on cosmetics. Matches never cost or award coins.

Report a problem

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