Backgammon
2 players - ± 20 minutes
Only the familiar basic rules are explained here, because backgammon can be played in a number of different ways.
Setup
Game rules - Backgammon
The checkers are placed in their starting position as shown. White plays here from the top right to the left, then to the bottom left and from there to the right into the home board (anticlockwise, in other words). Black plays in the opposite direction (clockwise) and starts at the bottom right.
Aim
Bring all fifteen of your checkers to your home board and then take them off.
Play
Both players roll the two dice. The player with the higher total begins.
Roll two dice. Each number is a separate move: if you roll a 5 and a 2, you move one checker five points and another two, or the same checker five and then two, or two and then five — the order is up to you. You always move towards your own home board.
You may only move to a point that holds no opposing checkers, or at most one.
If you roll a double, you play four moves instead of two.
In principle you are obliged to move. Both numbers rolled have to be played. If only one of them can be played, it must be the higher of the two, unless there is no other option. If neither number can be played, your turn is forfeited.
Hitting
If you land on a point holding exactly one opposing checker, that checker goes to the bar in the middle. Your opponent has to bring it back into play before doing anything else.
Re-entering a checker
A player with one or more checkers on the bar may not move any checkers on the board until every one of them has been brought back into play. Checkers from the bar have to enter in the opponent's home board. They can only be placed if the number rolled reaches an open point in the opponent's home board. If a single opposing checker is sitting on that point, it can be hit straight from the bar.
Bearing off
Once all your checkers are in your home board, you may take them off by rolling the matching number.
Winner
The first player to take all fifteen checkers off the board.