The objective of Backgammon is to be the first to move all one's pieces home. One player moves all his pieces in a clockwise direction and the other player moves his pieces in a counterclockwise direction. Pieces may never move backwards. The first player to lead is decided by a roll of the dice.
You cannot move one piece the total amount of the dice in one move. EXAMPLE: (Roll 4 and 2) You must move your piece 4 spaces and then 2 spaces if you want to advance the same piece 6 spaces. Pieces advance from one point to another corresponding to the number on the dice. One piece may move twice (or up to 4 times in the case of doublets), or different pieces may be moved for each of the dice. Whenever a player rolls doubles on the dice, then twice the number of pieces may be moved. Thus from one to four pieces can be moved when doubles are rolled. (You can use each die twice.)
Pieces may not land on a point which has two or more opponent's pieces, thus that point is blocked. Pieces may however jump over blocked points. There is no limit to the number of your pieces that can occupy a single point.
When one of your pieces lands on a point which has only one opponent's piece on it (called a blot), then that blot is "hit" and sent to the "bar" and must be reentered in the quadrant of the board furthest away from your home. No other pieces may be moved while any of your pieces are on the bar.
A player must play all possible dice if he can. When this is not possible, the player must play as much of his turn as possible and pass the rest of his turn. If only one number on the dice can be played but not both, then the higher of the two numbers must be played. All of your pieces must be in the quadrant of the board closest to home before actually moving any piece from the board into your home container. Pieces are not forced home but may be moved elsewhere if they can. Pieces do not have to land by exact count, but in that case the piece furthest away from home possible must be moved. The player who removes all his pieces first wins the game.
Points
after moving all the pieces home, if the opponent has not removed any pieces you score one additional game point for "gammon". Additionally, if your opponent still has any piece either on the bar or in your home quadrant, you win 1 more additional game point for "backgammon".
Options
DOUBLING CUBE - The use of the doubling cube is optional. At the start of each turn a player may double the stakes of the game by calling a double. The opponent then may decide to accept the doubled stakes of the game and play on or may decline the doubled stakes and accept the loss of the game immediately at the previous stakes. The doubled stakes applies also to gammons and backgammons. Players may continue redoubling until the stakes are at 64 times normal. If a double is accepted, the doubling cube is under the control of the player who accepted the double, and only he may offer the next double in that game if and when it is desired. A player scores a gammon when he has removed all of his pieces from the board before his opponent has removed any of his pieces. Gammons are worth two times the game points.
A players scores backgammon when all of his pieces are removed before his opponent has removed any AND while his opponent still has a piece on the bar or in your inner table. Backgammons are worth three times the game points.
