Backgammon Online: how to play

Backgammon against the computer, with the standard rules and no doubling cube. Bruno plays the blue checkers and takes on a new opponent in every level, each one making fewer careless moves. The dice are the same for everyone each day, so a good result is worth sharing.

How to play

• Your dice roll by themselves at the start of your turn. Tap a checker, then where it goes; small marks show the points it can reach. If there's only one place, it moves straight away.
• You move from the top right, round the board, to your home at the bottom right. Each die moves one checker that many points.
• You can't land on a point with two or more of the computer's checkers. Land on a lone one (a blot) to hit it and send it to the bar.
• Checkers on the bar must come back in first. Doubles move four times. You must use both dice when you can (or the larger one, if only one can be played).
• Once all 15 of your checkers are home, bear them off. The first to bear off all 15 wins; winning before the other side bears any off is a gammon and scores double.
• Changed your mind? UNDO TURN (or U) takes back this turn's moves. Keyboard: ← → move the cursor, Enter picks up and puts down.
• A lost game costs one of your three hearts and you get a rematch.

The five levels

1. Neon City: vs Byte, who moves at random: learn the race
2. Rooftops: vs Mogi: hit lone checkers
3. Sewer: vs Sewer Bot: two or more on a point are safe
4. Robot Factory: vs Factory Bot: go for a gammon
5. Glitch Zone: Glitch Bot rolls first

Clear the Glitch Zone and the levels loop again with opponents that make a quarter fewer careless moves. You have three hearts for the whole run, and the game is the same for everyone each day, so you can compare scores. Press M to turn the sound off or on.

Tips

• Don't leave lone checkers where the computer can hit them, especially close to its home.
• Make points in your home board: they block the computer's checkers on the bar.
• When you're well ahead in the race, stop fighting and run your checkers home.

Questions

Is there a doubling cube?

No. Every game is played for a single win (or a double-score gammon), with no betting or doubling.

Are the dice fair?

The dice come from a seeded random number generator, so they're the same for everyone each day. Neither side gets special rolls.

What's a gammon?

Winning before your opponent has borne off a single checker. It scores double points here.

Is it free?

Yes. Backgammon is free in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with no download.