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Backgammon instructions for new players wanting to learn more about this great game
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The objective of backgammon is to bring all your pieces, white or black, into your inner board so that you can move into the bear-off game phase. The winner of the game is the first person to bear off all of his pieces; in other words, a player must get all his pieces past his opponent’s pieces, into his inner board and bear them off before his opponent is able to. This means that a tie is not possible in backgammon.
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To begin playing backgammon, both players throw one die, and the player that rolls the highest number plays first. Generally, the first player uses the combined numbers on the already-thrown dice to start, although this rule is not strictly followed today. If agreed upon between players, the first player may reject the combined throw and throw again to commence the game of backgammon. In the case of both players rolling the same number, the result is ignored and both players throw again. In backgammon matches, the winner of the previous game plays first in the next game of backgammon.
Each player takes a turn by placing the two dice into the dice shaker (or alternatively rolling by hand) and throwing the dice into their right-hand half of the backgammon board. If one of the dice doesn’t fall flat or jumps off the board, the roll should be retaken.
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Backgammon pieces never move backwards; they only move forwards towards their respective inner boards, meaning the white and black pieces are always moving in opposite directions around the backgammon board. Pieces are moved according to the role of the dice, with each individual number on each die representing the number of points a chosen piece may be moved forward. For example, with a role of 6-4 you can either:
* move one piece 6 points and another piece 4 points OR
* move one piece 10 points (the total of both dice) if its path is
not blocked by your opponent’s pieces.
During a move, a piece may land on any vacant point, a point occupied by friendly pieces, or a point with only one enemy piece. Two or more pieces of the same color occupying a point constitutes a block – a very useful tactic when playing backgammon and setting up a backgammon prime. Using the example above, if the individual moves of 6 points and 4 points are blocked by two or more of your opponent’s pieces, a total move of 10 points cannot be made by that piece. When play is blocked and you can make no legal move, your turn is forfeited. However, when it is possible you must play both dice during your turn – or one die if only one legal move can be made – even if a move is to your disadvantage.
In the case of a double being rolled, pieces are moved twice as many times. For example, with a role of 3-3, if your moves aren’t blocked you may move either
* one piece 12 points
* two pieces 6 points each
* one piece 9 points and one piece 3 points
* two pieces 3 points each and a third piece 6 points
* four pieces 3 points each
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In the game of backgammon, when a single piece occupies a point, this piece is known as a blot and may be attacked by your opponent. Hitting a blot simply means landing on this point with one of your pieces during your move. The blot is taken off the backgammon board and placed on the bar, and this player is not allowed to make any further moves until the hit blot returns to the game. A blot can only re-enter the game on the roll of the dice through your opponent’s inner board.
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Bearing off is the final phase of the backgammon game – removing your pieces from the backgammon board. You cannot begin to bear off until all of your pieces are in your inner board. As with normal moves, you bear off according to the roll of the dice, always from the highest occupied point in your inner table. For example, if you have pieces on points 1, 2 and 6 of your inner table and you roll 4-3, you must move the pieces on point 6 rather than bear off the pieces on points 1 and 2.
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The winner of a backgammon game is the first person to bear off all their pieces. If your opponent has been unable to bear off any pieces you score a gammon, or double victory, which counts for twice a normal win. A backgammon, or triple victory, counts for three times a normal win and is scored when your opponent has failed to bear off any pieces and still has blots on the bar or pieces in your inner table.
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