Backgammon Unblocked

Backgammon mixes luck and judgment better than almost any other board game. The dice tell you how far you can go, yet nearly every roll offers several ways to play it, and the good players are the ones who pick well. This copy, taken from Christopher Müller’s PaperGames project, plays the complete game unblocked in your browser: hitting, the bar, bearing off, gammons and a working doubling cube. You can face a computer at three strengths or sit across one screen from a friend, and a pip counter keeps the race honest.

Board, Dice and the Basic Race

Each player owns 15 checkers. They travel around the 24 points in opposite directions, and Black always opens the game. Press the roll button, then use each die as a separate move. Rolling a double means you play that number four times.

A point with two or more enemy checkers is closed to you. A point with just one enemy checker, called a blot, is fair game: land there and that checker is sent to the bar. Anyone with a checker on the bar has to bring it back in through the opponent’s home board before moving anything else, which can cost several turns if that board is well built.

The game insists you use as much of your roll as possible. If only one die can be played, it must be the larger one, and if nothing fits, the turn simply passes.

When all 15 checkers sit inside your home board, you may start removing them with the Off button. Clear the board first and you win.

Backgammon controls

To do this	Keyboard	Mouse	Touch
Throw the dice	Tab to "Roll dice", then Enter	Click "Roll dice"	Tap "Roll dice"
Pick up and place a checker	Arrow keys to a point, Enter, then arrow to the target and Enter	Click a point with your checker (or the Bar), then the target point	Tap a point with your checker (or the Bar), then the target point
Take a checker off the board	—	Select the checker, then click "Off"	Select the checker, then tap "Off"
Raise the stakes before your roll	—	Click "Double"	Tap "Double"
Take back, give up or view the moves so far	—	Click "Undo", "Resign" or "Moves"	Tap "Undo", "Resign" or "Moves"
Begin another game	—	Open "Menu", choose "2 Player (local)" or "vs Computer", then "New game"	Open "Menu", choose "2 Player (local)" or "vs Computer", then "New game"

Playing Better Backgammon

Opening rolls. Early on, use your dice to make points in or near your home board. Two checkers on one point are safe, and every point you own is a door your opponent cannot walk through.

The middle game. Build a run of held points in a row. Four or five side by side form a wall, and an enemy checker stuck behind it may sit there for a long time. Try not to leave a blot within six pips of an enemy checker, because a single die can reach it.

Watch the race. The pip count under the dice shows exactly how far each side still has to travel. If you are well ahead, stop taking risks and just run home. If you are behind, keep a few checkers back hoping for a hit.

Using the cube. Offer a double when your position is clearly better. Against the computer, a big pip lead often makes it refuse, which hands you the game at the current stake.

Bearing off. Spread your checkers across the home board instead of piling them on one point, so more rolls can remove something.

Why This Version Is Worth Your Time

Many browser versions skip the doubling cube or hide the pip count. This one keeps both, adds an undo button and a scrolling move list, and lets you slow down or speed up the computer between moves. There is even an optional setting that suggests a new difficulty after three wins or three losses in a row.

If dice and racing appeal to you, the much older Royal Game of Ur is a fun look at where games like this began. For more two-player tables, browse the card and board games section.