How to play

Single player

First enter your name in the box provided, then choose the skill level and which board theme you prefer.

When the game starts you will be given the option to roll the dice to decide who starts. You will be controlling the white checkers, while the AI controls the red checkers.

Double player

First enter the white player's name, then the red player's name. Choose an agreeable board theme and the game will start.

The first roll will decide who starts, and play continues from there with the two players taking alternate turns at the controls.

Online play

Start up GameSpy Arcade and join the Backgammon lobby. Here you will find other players to chat with and play against.
(If you do not have GameSpy Arcade installed, you can download it from www.gamespyarcade.com).

To start a game, click the Backgammon icon in the Games section to join the Backgammon lobby. Then click on the "Create Game" button and you will be taken to a second lobby, and the game will be listed as available to other players. When someone joins your game and is ready, press the "Launch Game" button to launch Backgammon and play. The host will be asked to roll the dice to decide who starts.

To join a game, select an available game and click on the "Join Game" button. You will be taken to a second lobby screen with the host, and after you have clicked the "Ready" button, just wait for the host launch. Once in the game you will have to wait for the host to roll the dice to decide who starts.

When the game is finished you will be returned to the lobby and your scores updated.

If you select the Online Play option inside the Backgammon menus, this will launch the GameSpy Arcade program.

Controls

When it is your turn to play, click the "Roll Dice" button and, if you are able to double, the "Double" button will be highlighted.

First decide whether you wish to double or not (if the option is available). If you decide to double the opponent will be asked if they accept the double: if they do the game will continue; if not you will win the game at the value of the current stake.

Now roll the dice. The values of the dice rolled will appear in place of the "Roll Dice" button. If you roll a double an extra message will appear which indicates how many rolls you have remaining.

The left die is taken as the default first move, though right clicking will swap the order in which the dice will be played. Move the mouse across the board to the point of the checker you wish to play. Any valid moves will be indicated by markers above or below the points as shown.

(highlight indicates the die which will be played)

To play the move either left click, or move to another point to see what other moves are available. Once the first move is played the selection moves to the second die, which is played in the same way.

Once all the dice are played, the turn switches to the next player.

Rules of Backgammon

Backgammon is played by two people on a board consisting of 24 narrow triangles, known as points. The points alternate between light and dark colours, and are grouped into 4 quadrants of 6 points each. The quadrant nearest to the player and on the right is known as the player's home board, with the other near quadrant known as the outer board.

Each player has 15 checkers of their own colour. The object of the game is to move all the checkers from the starting position onto the home board, and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all their checkers is the winner.

To start the game a die is rolled for each player. The player with the higher number starts, and moves using the values on the dice just rolled. After this the players roll a pair of dice in alternate turns.

The roll of the dice indicate how many points, or pips, the player can move their checkers. The checkers are always moved anticlockwise around the board, to a point nearer the player's home board.

Movement:

1. A checker can only be moved to an open point. This is a point that is not occupied by 2 or more opposition checkers.

2. The numbers on the 2 dice constitute separate moves, and can be played in any order.

3. If a player rolls a double they play the numbers shown on the dice twice. For example a player rolling double 3 would make 4 moves of 3 pips.

4. A player must play both numbers of a roll if legally possible (or all 4 if they roll a double). If only one number can be played they must play that number. If either number can be played, but not both, the highest number must be played. When neither number can be played the player loses their turn.

Hitting and entering

A point with only a single checker on of either colour is known as a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and is moved to the bar.

If a player has checkers on the bar they must enter them onto the opposition home board. A checker is entered by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the dice.

If a player is unable to enter their checkers they forfeit their turn. If they can enter some but not all, they must enter as many as they can, then forfeit the rest of their turn.

After a player has entered their last checker from the bar, any unused numbers on the dice must be played (as a normal move).

Bearing off

Once a player has all their checkers on their home board they can start bearing off their checkers. A player bears off by taking a checker on a point corresponding to a number on the dice, and removing it from the board.

If there is no checker on a point indicated by the roll, the player must make a legal move using a checker on a higher point. If there are no checkers on higher points the player must remove a checker from the highest point with their checkers on.

A player does not have to bear off if they can make a normal legal move.

All a player's active checkers must be in their home board to be allowed to bear off.

The first player to bear off all their pieces wins the game.

Gammons and backgammons:

When a player wins the game, if their opponent hasn't managed to bear off any of their checkers, the player wins a gammon and gets double points for the win. If the opponent also has a piece still on the player's home board or on the bar, the player wins a backgammon worth triple points.

Doubling cube:

NOTE! The doubling cube feature is only available in two player or network games. You cannot use it in a single player game against the computer.

Each game starts with a value of one point. At any point in the game a player can choose to bring the doubling cube into play to double the stakes of the game. They may only do this at the start of their turn before they have rolled the dice.

When a double is made the opponent may choose to accept or refuse the double. If they refuse they lose the game at the game value before the double. If they accept the double, the game value is doubled and they gain ownership of the doubling cube and only they may make the next double.