Rules for playing long backgammon

Classic, or long, backgammon is quite complex, but very exciting and interesting game for two players. Of course, for kids this fun is not available, but the older guys gladly play it with their parents or peers. In this article we offer you the rules of playing long backgammon for beginners, with the help of which even children can understand the intricacies of this entertainment.

How to play long backgammon - the basic rules

In the game, long backgammon is always played by 2 players, each of which has 15 chips of the same color. To organize this game requires a special board, divided into 2 halves using a protruding bar called a bar, and having 24 holes, or a point.

Initially, both players place all their chips at the exit of the item located on the right side of the playing field. In the future, all the checkers are moved counter-clockwise along the board.

The task of each player is to carry their chips as quickly as possible through the whole field, place them in the house, and then remove them from the board. At the same time, "home" means 6 holes located on the opposite side of the point of initial placement of checkers. So, in the above picture, White's house is marked with numbers from 19 to 24, and black ones - from 7 to 12.

Before the game starts, both players must roll the dice to determine who will score the most points. It is this player who gets the right of the first move. In the future, bones are thrown out to find out how many points the walking man must move his checkers. In this case, the transfer of chips in the game is classic, or long, backgammon should obey the following rules:

1. You can move as 2 different checkers on the number of points indicated on the cubes, and one chip per total number of holes.
2. You can place your chips only in the free holes or in those in which the checkers of the same color are already located.
3. When moving one chip to the total number of points, it should be borne in mind that the intermediate hole should not be occupied by the opponent's checkerboard.
4. At loss of any double number of moves of the player is doubled.
5. From the initial placement of checkers, or "head", in one move you can shoot only one chip. The exception is the situation with the double - in this case it is allowed to remove 2 pieces.
6. For each player, it is advantageous to create a situation where 6 points in a row on the field are occupied by its chips. In this case, certain checkers of the opponent are "locked" and can not make a move.

However, under any circumstances, it is not allowed to "lock" all 15 opponent chips.

7. If the player has the opportunity to make a move, he must do it - refuse and skip the move at will, even if it is not beneficial for the participant in the game. Moving chips to fewer points than indicated on the dice, too, can not.
8. After all the checkers are in the house, they must be removed from the field. In this case, it is not necessary to move the chips strictly to the number of points indicated on the dice. So, for example, if a player has dropped 6, but all his checkers are located closer to the edge of the board, he can withdraw any chip from the field.
9. The winner is the one who managed to first withdraw all the checkers from the playing field. Draw in long backgammon does not happen, so the victory is awarded to the first player, even if the second next move can also complete its maneuver.

Of course, to understand the rules of long backgammon is not very simple. However, with little practice, even a child can easily understand what to do in a given situation in order to achieve victory faster.

Also we suggest you familiarize yourself with the rules of the game in short backgammon or checkers.