Backgammon is a two-player game played on a board consisting of twenty-four narrow triangles called points. The points are connected across one edge of the board forming a continuous track in the shape of a horseshoe and are numbered 1-24. Each player begins with two checkers on their 24 point, three checkers on their 8 point, and five checkers on their 13 and 6 points. Each player moves their checkers in opposing directions from their 24 point to their 1 point. Points one through 6 are called the home board. Points 7 through 12 are called the outer board. The 7 point is referred to as the bar point and the 13 point is the mid point. The object of backgammon is to move all of one’s own checkers past the opponents and then remove them from the board. The pieces are scattered all over the board and may be hit or blocked by your opponent. Each game of backgammon is short, so there are usually a series of matches that determine the winner.
When playing backgammon, strategy is a huge part of the game. The most direct strategy is to avoid being hit or trapped on the board. A "running game" is when a player moves as quickly as possible around the board. The "priming game" is when you build a wall of checkers covering numbers in consecutive points. The "backgame" strategy is when two or more anchors are placed in an opponent’s home board. The anchor obstructs the opponent’s checkers and leaves them open to be hit as they move home. This strategy is generally used when a player is behind and is looking to salvage the game. Another backgammon strategy is "duplication". That is when the placement of checkers on a player’s board is needed for two different goals. The last strategy is called "diversification" which is a complementary tactic of placing your own checkers in such a way that the numbers are useful.
The backgammon doubling cube is a strategic piece that is used to speed up games. The doubling cube is a six-sided die marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. Before the dice is rolled, a player must state that they want the game to be played twice the current stakes. Their opponent must either accept or resign the game completely. After that, the right to double the stakes is solely up to the last player to accept the double. Whenever a player accepts a doubled stakes, the cube is faced with the corresponding power of 2 facing upward.
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