Easy-to-Play Backgammon

How to Set-Up the Backgammon Board

Game board set-up is one of the first things one has to learn about playing backgammon. Here are the things one needs to remember when setting-up the board. We have included some tips to help you play this game.

You can get this game board in any gaming store or you can also order them online. Game board prices range from as low 12 dollars for regular game boards to a whopping 800 dollars for the exquisite hand crafted brass inlaid boards. But for starters a regular 12-dollar board would do. You may also buy the checkers, board and dice separately.

Here's a list of things we need to have to set-up our board.

1. A backgammon board 2. Thirty pieces of checkers in two different colors (usually fifteen are black and fifteen are white, if you buy the checkers separately you get to choose colors and material) 3. Two pairs of dice (each player gets a pair of dice, or you may also opt for just 1 pair and share dice) 4. One or two dice shakers 5. One doubling cube

So how do we get things set-up? First of all find a flat surface where you can put the backgammon board. A regular table would do. Notice that your board is divided into two parts and is separated by a bar in the middle. Pretty much the same as chess, this game is played by two players. The game board set-up principles are almost the same too.

You will see long thin triangles on the board. These are called points. They alternate in color. You position your board so as the triangles' tips are pointing towards your opponent (the bar should be in a vertical position on the board). The side of the board near you is called your home board. In a clockwise direction, number your points from 1 to 24 starting from lower right corner. For easy reference the board is divided into four quadrants namely the upper left and upper right, lower left and lower right.

Here comes the hard part, how to set-up the checkers. Let's say you are playing the white checkers. On point 24 of your board (which is the upper right quadrant of the board) place two checkers. Don't stack or put the checkers one on top of the other. Lay them both on the triangle starting at the base not the tip.

On point 13 (upper left quadrant) place five checkers. On point 8 (lower left quadrant) place three checkers. And lastly, on point 6 (lower right quadrant) place five checkers. Remember to line up the checkers on the triangles.

To set-up the black checkers do the following. On point 1 (the lower right quadrant of the board) place two checkers. On point 12 (lower left quadrant) place five checkers. On point 16 (upper left) place three checkers. And on point 19 (upper right) place five checkers.

Now that the checkers are set-up, you will notice that the pattern of black checkers is a mirror image of the white checkers.

You get to roll the dice on the table using your hands or you may prefer to use the dice shakers. The same holds true for the doubling dice.

It may take some time and a few games to memorize the set-up of the board. After one gets the hang of game board set-up, moving your checkers will be the next skill to master. These are really basic skills that you'll get to remember easy enough.