The official rules of play as adapted by the BACKGAMMON ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA. E.S. Lowe Division Sprinatioia, Massachusetts 01101 E4314BACKGAMMON an excellent game for two players* The History of Backgammon tells how it was de- veloped from games played by the Romans and Greeks 3000 years BC. Similar games were also played in ancient China and India. About the 10th century AD, the present gameboard with its four “tables” of six Points each was designed. About 1743, Edmund Hoyle compiled a set of rules for playing which haven’ t changed significantly since. With the introduction of the “Doubling Cube”, in the 1920s, the interest in Backgammon was greatly revived in Europe and the United States. *While the moving of the pieces in the game is done by only two players, three or more may join in the play of the game. One player as a single,plays against the others as a team. The Captain of the team how- ever, throws the dice and moves the men. enLAWS OF BACKGAMMON BLACK'S OUTER TABLE BLACK'S HOME TABLE THE GAME 1. Backgammon is played by two persons. 2. Thirty men — fifteen of one color and fifteen of another — are used, and are set-up on a stan- dard board of four quarters (called ‘Tables’’) having six points each. The colors of the Men in Backgammon sets vary: White and Red; Red and Black; etc., always two contrasting colors. In all standard descriptions of the game, however, the lightest color is referred to as “White” and the darker color as ‘‘Black.” . For Entering and Bearing off, the points in both Inner Tables are considered as numbered from 1 to 6 and both Outer Tables as numbered from 7 to 12. . The Player's home table may be either at his right or left depending on where he is seated. If there is a question of which way to arrange the men, both Inner tables should be set-up towards the best source of light. It is suggested that anyone aspiring to learn the game should immediately be familiarized with being able to play in both direc- tions, clock-wise and counter clock-wise; be- cause in every game, if one Player’s Inner table is at his right it means automatically that his Oppo- nent’s Inner table is at his Opponent's left. WHITE'S OUTER TABLE WHITE'S HOME TABLE Set up at beginning of each game. . Each Player starts with two men on his Oppo- nent’s 1 point, five men on his Opponent's 12 point, plus three men on his own 8 point and five men on the 6 point in his own Inner Table. You will note that each Player's opening set-up is a mirror image of his Opponent’s. . Direction of play is from Opponent’s Inner table to Opponent’s Outer table, to Player’s Outer table, and then to Player’s Inner (home) table.7. Play of men is determined by two dice, thrown (cast) from a cup in Nie, the dice are shaken before casting. THE THROWS 8. For the opening throw each ree throws a single dice. Every tie requires another opening throw, Whoever throws the higher number plays first, and for his move,plays the numbers up on both dice. After that, each player in turn throws two dice. 9. The dice must be rolled together and come to rest flat (not ‘“‘cocked”) on the board at the player's right, otherwise they must be thrown again. 10. Each Player must leave the dice on the board until his play is completed. Should he pick them up before the completion of the play, his Oppo- nent may declare the play void and require him to replace the man or men moved and throw again. A move is deemed accepted as taken, if the Opponent throws the dice for the next turn, even if this throw results in cocked dice. 11. If an Opponent throws his dice before a Player has completed his turn, the Opponent must throw again. THE PLAY TWO separate moves are made in each turn, accord- ing to the TWO numbers that appear uppermost on the dice. A player may move one man twice, accord- ing to both numbers on the dice, or, he may move two men — one man according to one number and another man according to the other number. In using the numbers on the dice, you count each point as “one” in your move, including occupied points. Any number of the same colored men may occupy a single point. LANDING ON A POINT On each turn a man lands on two points, even if the player is moving only one man. Each landing corres- ponds to one of the numbers on the dice. A Player can land a man on: @ any point that is unoccupied — « any point that is occupied by any number of his own men — ® any point that is occupied by ONLY ONE of his Opponent’s men. He CANNOT LAND on any point occupied by two or more of his Opponent’s men. PLAYERS “HOLD” POINTS When a Player has TWO or MORE of his men ona Point he HOLDS that point. An Opponent cannot land on any points a Player HOLDS. Other names for HELD peint are “covered,” “blocked,” or “‘made”’ points.Plays must be made for both dice, if possible, either number may be played first. If only one man can be moved and there is a choice, the HIGHER number MUST be played. THROWING DOUBLES When Doubles are thrown (both dice show the same number) a player makes FOUR separate moves. For example; Double 2's are thrown: The Player can choose to do one of the following: ® move one man: 2-2-2-2, advancing 8 points ® move two men: 2-2-2 with the first and 2 with the second, ® move two men: 2-2 with each man. *® move three men: 2-2 with the first; 2 with the second; 2 with the third. * move four men: move 2 with each man. BLOTS AND HITS When there is only one man on a point, that man is called a BLOT and is vulnerable to ‘‘capture’’ by the opponent. If a Player lands on an Opponent's Blot, that man has been HIT. The man is removed from the board and placed on the BAR. The Opponent must ENTER that man before he can make any other move. After HITTING a blot, the Player’s man is not required to remain on a HIT point. [t can advance according to the count on the other dice, etc. It is possible to Hit more than one Blot in the same turn. However, a Player may make other moves in a tum, instead of Hitting a Blot or Blots if he wishes. THE BAR One or both players may have a man or men on the Bar at the same time. ENTERING Remember, A Player may NOT move any other man while he has a man on the Bar. A Player may enter a man or men from the Bar only when the roll of the dice shows a number that matches a point in his Opponent’s Home Table that the Opponent does NOT HOLD. A man can be en- tered on a point that is: ® unoccupied ® already occupied by the Player's man or men. ® occupied by only one Opponent’s man. . in which case a Blot has been Hit; sending the Opponent’s man to the Bar. BEARING OFF (moving the men off the Board) At the beginning of the game, a Player had five men in his Home Table, and his first goal was to bring the other ten men Home. As soon as he has all fifteen men in his Home Table, he can start to Bear Off: 1. One man may be Borne from each point that matches the. throw of the dice (if men occupythese two points.) 2. Four men may be Borne from the point that matches a Double number thrown (if there are four or more men on that point). 3. When there is no man (or men) on a point that matches the number(s) thrown, a man (or men) may be Borne from the HIGHEST occupied point which is LOWER than the number(s) thrown. 4. Ifthere isa man or men ona HIGHER point than the Numbers thrown, NO man (or men) may be Borne from a LOWER point. The number(s) thrown must be used to MOVE a man (or men) on the Board instead. 5. If he wishes, a Player may move a man or men on the Board, instead of Bearing Off, or do both if the throw of the dice permits this choice. SCORING 1. Agame is won by the Player who Bears Off all of his men first. 2. A gammon (double game) is won if his Oppo- nent has not Borne offa single man. This doubles the count. 3. Abackgammon (triple game) is won if his Oppo- nent has not Bore offa single man, and has one or more men in the winner's Inner Table or upon the Bar. This triples the count. THE DOUBLING CUBE 2-4-8-16-32-64 ) (04 The doubling cube is used for Sa aint Either player may offer the first double of the agreed point- count, After that the right to the double alternates, being always with the player who has accepted the last double. A double may be offered only when it is the player's turn to play and before the player has thrown the dice. A double may be accepted or de- clined. The refusal of a double terminates the game, and the player refusing loses whatever the point- count may amount to at the time. Gammons and Backgammons double or triple the last point-count. CHOUETTE 1. Chouette is played by three or more members. 2. In beginning the game each member shall throw a single dice and the one throwing the highest number is then the “‘Man in the Box,” the next highest is the ‘‘Captain.”” The other members, in accordance with each one’s throw, rank below the Captain and succeed him in that order. 3. The initial throw shall determine each member's position but in the event of a tie, only those tying, throw again for their position. The highest or higher number always has precedence. 4. Any applicant to Chouette may be accepted. He becomes the last ranking member in the firstgame in which he participates. . After the positions have been determined the Man in the Box and the Captain proceed as in the two handed game except that all the rematning members are partners of the Captain. . The Man in the Box plays alone and scores sepa- rately with each one of his adversaries. He retains his position until defeated. In such event, he retires as a player and takes his place as the last ranking member (unless there be an added member). The Captain then becomes the Man in the Box. : . The Captain may consult with any aor all of the partners on any question that may arise in the course of the game. He is, however, the final arbiter, except as hereafter provided. Should he be defeated, he loses his position and takes his place as last ranking member (unless there be an added member.) The highest ranking partner then becomes Captain. The Captain’s decision as to a play or doubling the Man in the Box is final and is binding on all members of his side. Courtesy however, dictates that the Captain adhere toa unanimous vote of his partnersin any decision regarding a move or offering a ‘“‘Dou- ble.” . A Double offered by the Man in the Box may be refused by any partner. Each one who drops out forfeits to the Man in the Box his count previous to the proposed Double. 10. 11. Tz . Should the Captain decline to accept a Double offered by the Man in the Box he loses his posi- tion, and forfeits to the Man in the Box his count previous to the proposed double. When a Double has been declined by the Cap- tain, any or all of the other members may accept it, The highest ranking of those accepting be- comes Captain until the termination of that game. Accepting or declining a double does not change the rank of the member; except that declining by the Captain loses him that position even though the game be eventually won by the accepting partners. If the Chouette expands to six or more partici- pants, it is considered proper for the Man in the Box to choose a partner if he wishes. He should select the person whom he has just defeated. In this way there are no vendettas and everyone ultimately should get an opportunity to be part- ner of the Box. Without this rule the Box’s expo- sure would be too far out of balance in large Chouettes and if the choice is made at random, it tends to have the best player in the Chouette picked almost every game which is not fair to the others who would like a chance at being the Box’s partner.