Backgammon has always been a popular game, but it's growing presence online has increased that popularity ten-fold. In fact, it's been said that Backgammon is well on its way to becoming just as popular as online poker. Interesting, since there are quite a few similarities in the way each game is played.

Both poker and Backgammon are a gambling man's game. Like poker, Backgammon is most exciting when played in tournament form. Both games involve a high level of skill and mathematical probabilities.

Backgammon could also be compared to Chess. Both players have a set number of pieces on the board to begin with, and are given the advantage of seeing the opponent's potential maneuvers - unlike poker, where players cannot see each other’s hands. This takes out the element of 'Bluffing' that is so favored in a game of poker.

Moving the Pieces

At the start of a game, backgammon rules state that each player throws a single dice. Whoever rolls the highest number will move first. Backgammon rules say if both players toss the same number on the dice, they are instructed to roll again until different numbers are shown. The player with the highest number will move that amount of spaces on the board. After the first roll has passed, the opponents will throw two dice for the rest of the game and alternate turns.

The number of the dice is the number of points, also referred to as pips, that a player can move his checkers. The checkers are always positioned forward, sticking to a lower-numbered digit.

Backgammon Rules :-

1. A player may move their checker only to a point that is open, meaning two or more opposing checkers cannot occupy the space.
2. The numbers that are shown on the two dice make up two separate moves. If a player rolls a 6 and a 2, then they can move one checker six spaces to an open point and another checker two spaces to a point that is open. The player may also choose to move one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point. Backgammon rules state that this move can only be done when three or five spaces are open from the starting point.
3. When rolling a double, a player is supposed to play double the number that is shown on the dice. For example, if two 3’s were rolled, then the player could move three spaces for a total of 4 different times. Backgammon rules state that this move can be accomplished in any way they see fit using the numbers that were tossed.
4. When tossing the dice, a player must play both of the numbers that are shown on that roll. All possible legal moves must be used. In the event that only one number can be played, it must be taken. If either number can be used, but not both of them, the larger number must be used. A player loses their turn when neither number can be played. Backgammon rules state that in the case of doubles, as many numbers as possible that can be played should be played at the time of that turn.