Backgammon Online
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Hearts: ClassicBack to the main gameClassic Backgammon brings one of the oldest board games in history into your browser, free to play with no download needed. You are matched against real players from around the world, which means every session is different. If you have played the physical board game before, the rules translate directly. If not, the basics take only a few minutes to learn and the strategy takes considerably longer to master.
What is Classic Backgammon?
Classic Backgammon is an online two-player board game where each side races 15 checkers around the board and tries to bear them all off before the opponent does. You roll two dice each turn and move one or more checkers by those numbers. The player who clears all 15 pieces first wins.
It sits in the board-game genre and runs entirely in the browser on desktop and mobile.
How to move and hit
Moves are made by clicking a checker and then clicking the destination point. The dice totals you can use on each turn are shown on screen.
| Action | How to do it |
|---|---|
| Select a checker | Click (or tap) the checker you want to move |
| Move it | Click the destination point the dice allow |
| Re-enter from the bar | Click a point in the opponent home board matching a die |
| Bear off | Click a checker when all 15 are in your home board |
Key rules: blots, the bar, and bearing off
A point occupied by two or more of your checkers is safe. A lone checker on a point is called a blot. If the opponent lands on your blot, it is sent to the bar and must re-enter the game before any of your other checkers can move.
Re-entry happens by rolling a number that matches an open point in the far home board. Once all 15 of your checkers are in your own home board, you can start bearing them off. Doubles give you four moves of that number instead of two, which can be a big swing in momentum.
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| 2 or more checkers on a point | Point is blocked, opponent cannot land there |
| 1 checker on a point (blot) | Can be hit and sent to the bar |
| Checker on the bar | Must re-enter before any other move |
| Doubles rolled | Play that number four times, not two |
| All 15 in home board | You may start bearing off |
Tips for winning more games
- Cover your checkers early. Two on a point is safe; one is always at risk.
- Prioritize getting off the bar fast. A checker sitting there blocks all your other moves.
- Use doubles aggressively during the bear-off phase, since four moves can close a gap quickly.
- Watch the pip count. If you are behind in the race, hitting your opponent buys time.
- Avoid leaving blots in your home board late in the game when the opponent is bearing off.
Playing free in the browser
The game is free and runs directly in the browser with no download or account required. It works on both desktop and mobile, so you can play at home, at school during a break, or anywhere else a browser is available. You are matched with real opponents online, and new games start quickly.