Backgammon Rules, explained by Grandmaster Marc Olsen
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- Опубликовано: 30 июл 2024
- This video explains the rules of backgammon.
Backgammongalaxy.com is the biggest and most respected backgammon server for online play.
Make sure to check out the rest of the playlist "Backgammon Basics"!
Make sure to check out Marc's books on Amazon:
- From Basics to badass.
- Pure Strategy.
- Cube Like a Boss. 
Игры
This game is 1.5 million times easier than I had assumed. The board and instruction booklets for game sets were so intimidating as a kid
Easy on the surface. Endlessly difficult once you dive in.
Its always a struggle between what you allow your opponent to do and advancing forward.
It teaches you to think in probabilities.
And 1.5 million times more difficult than you assume ;)
Same. Remember my grandpa trying to show me. I was like huh? Lets just play chess lol
Agreed about the intimidating part.
Case in my parents closet. 👀ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ
Was a great mystery to me.
I thought I was ok at Backgammon until I played against a Syrian, I stuggled to win one game. I was told that Syrian, Greek, Turkish and Lebanese play this game regularly and study the probabilities to make best moves. I had my basic strategies, but I'd never worked out odds of certain dice combinations apart from when I could take a hit.
Yeah, in Levantine countries shopkeepers play backgammon pretty much all day, but they consider it a game of chance, hence the low number of pros from those countries. They often even get agitated when their opponent takes a long time considering their move and exclaim "We're not playing chess, hurry up!".
This is the best explanation of Backgammon I watched so far on youtube
Thank you so much Azeem :-)
Thanks again for taking the time to make this video, very nice board by the way.
Great video Marc! I am envious of your beautiful board.
However, you forgot to mention that when you roll doubles, you move 4 times instead of 2!
You are right! Thank you for this correction. It must had slipped my mind somehow. Did you see the video where I review my board collection and compare them to cars? :) Best regards, Marc Olsen
Backgammon Galaxy fab
@@BackgammonGalaxy p pozu k}
😮
Very well explained. And I am still in awe of the beauty of this board.
3rd explanation video I watched, best by far!
You hit the nail on the head.
First thing you said, look at this beautiful board.
And I think this is the best looking board out there and I will have to get it some day.
Very well explained, brilliant Backgammon tutor !
Love the video man! I just found your stuff! I wish more people were into backgammon, it's literally the coolest board game I've ever played. I've been watching shit about theory and pips and all that stuff all day, I hope I can get better!
Amazing! Welcome to the never ending rabbit hole of backgammon. :)
I’m more of a chess player but I am starting to get into this game a bit. Plus my grandmother plays backgammon on her iPad.
Another nice video for us beginners.
Thank you so much for this great explanation!
You are the first person to help me understand the game. Thank you
So me and the Mrs went to Turkey and saw a board in the villa and decided to play for the first time. We bought a board home and play but she always wins. I saw this and another couple of your videos, we played last night and I she lost by gammon twice! Thanks! 😂
Teaching my 8 year old grandson! Perfect for him to watch to get the basics.
Very well explained! Thank you lots. Always thought of this game to be complicated. Now my son and I just learned how to play and this is going to be our game. Thanks bud!
Thanks a lot for sharing your story! This is the reason why we do this: to get more people into the game. Much love
Sounds fantastic Anthony, I hope you will play it for many years to come.
Did you mentioned, what happen when you roll a double? 🤔
Excellent explanation! Thank you so much!
Awesome tutorial! Thank you sir 🙏🏾
Beautiful game board and player pieces !!!!!!!
Amazing board and thank you for patiently explaining 💥💨
Absolutely brilliant. So clear. I am going to play my first game. Thank you x
Have fun!
Marc, You should do more explainer videos of this style! love it
We did! Check out the full play list "Backgammon Basics". :)
This is my 100 hundredth video I checking this is soooo good keep it up
Very clear explanation. Thanks.
Wow thank you for explaining the points scoring so simply! I always just played standard backgammon and thought that was enough, but I'll start point scoring from now on.
You're welcome :-)
Thanks for this, very clear explained!
thank you for this video and by the way very nice set
Great video, well explained! Thanks :)
Glad it was helpful!
Good explanation! I used to play Backgammon 40 years ago but never knew about the points system. We just used to play to win. :)
Thanks Frank!
Thank you, Sir! Pretty simple to learn
You are welcome sir! Simple game to learn, but endlessly complex in strategy. "It takes a minute to learn and a life time to master."
Very clear explanation. I am a new backgammon lover. I just don't yet get the use of the fifth dice (doubling) but eventually thru practice and more reading about I will get it. I saw your game with the "masters" at the Istambul market!! very entertaining.
backgammonlover is my email lol
Thank you JC!... we are many who loves backgammon, welcome to the club! 😂 it is a never ending game, let the journey begin!
The doubling cube is the hardest part to learn for new. Just play without the cube to start to learn then once intermefiate/ advanced after a year then play matches with the cube. Get Matt's book Cube Like A boss.
@@sjsphotog yes, eventually, I am now looking into the other old versions, like Narde, Tavli ...they look also pretty interesting. I have been a chess, xiangqi and igo (go) lover for years, and always thought backgammon was boring... now I have change my mind, it is very interesting and fun.
Backgammon is never boring as every game is different and you can always come back and still win even if you are losing early thanks to 25% luck factor unlikenl chess, once behind its almost impossible to come back and win in chess and chess gets repetitive once the good players know the book moves and can go on forever in a chase down that never ends resulting in a forfeit. Backgammon is the best and oldest game.
Brilliantly explained thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video! Thank you!
The best game ever. Easy to learn. Takes ages to become a master like Marc Olsen.
The cruellest game ever!
...and it takes 4 years for Hideaki to become a master :-D
I haven’t played since I was a teenager and I ask for Backgammon form Christmas. I am so excited to brush up on the skills and teach my grandchildren!
We're so happy you feel this way!
Excellent explanation
Can anybody explain the checkers' movement? It is still unclear to me how it overcomes the bar and how I get it from the opposite side to my side. Is it counter-clockwise?
Very clearly explained Marc - nice board too. I'm sure this will help new players out there, and also iron out some of the more varied rules that people use as well. Also perhaps your next tutorial could be using your Gammoner board ? 👍⚅⚅
This video was so close to becoming the perfect backgammon explanation video but he missed to tell about the other bigger dice and the role of it in the game. :( But nevertheless, great explanation 👍 .
Update: I just found another video about the doubling dice from him so I take my previous comment back :)
Thank you :) It's called "the doubling cube" or just "the cube"
Until what part of the game can one double up? Even when half of the pieces are already off and it looks like a 99% chance of winning? So, if I have 90% of my pieces off and my opponent still has all of their pieces on the board, I can still double? This seems like a bit weird to double at the very last moment.
Watching the pros play is how I learned how to play. Would love to own an FM board some day but I'm not that rich. Silverman & Co or Wycliffe Bros. is what I can afford mainly. My 19 inch Silverman & Co I like the most for travel and club play. Big enough to play with yet small enough to transport easily. However I swapped out the plain Black & White checkers with Zaza & Sacci checkers. The checkers do add a lot to a Silverman & Co board. Red & Amber colors on a traditional Green field with Black & White points is a really nice color combination. I find it really hard to go back to using my Black & White checkers ever again.
That was useful, thanks!
Dam; he's got an amazing, unorthodox way of explaining the game. RESPECT
Thank you!
Can anyone tell me the differences between how to play the Turkish variant Tavla and Backgammon?
Best explanation on RUclips
Can you explain Mahbusa? And Seş beş? They are played often in Turkey and Levant. Thanks
1:32 Nice explanation. However, I have a doubt: according to the rules, you are free to decide which dice number you use first, in the video either the 4 or 2. But if for whatever reason you are not able to use both, then you have to use the higher one (the 4 in the example). Does it apply as well when you try to bring the checkers back to the game from the bar, assuming you have two checkers there and you need for example the 5 and 3 and the other points are blocked?. Then you get 6 and 3. So can you use the 3 or do you lose both?. Thanks a lot
If I understand correctly; not being able to move on both dice constitutes a lost turn; you can't move one die value and disregard the other if you don't have a move available. Also, is it true that if a checker can't move to an available space from a single die you lose a turn? For example, I roll 4-3; even though I have a checker that can move to 7, I can not move it if spaces 4 and/or 3 are not available.
Yes, if you can't make a legal move with the both dice you throw, you lose your turn. Available moves has to be done even if it's disadvantageous. I haven't found any answer to your example question, this would also my question, because I haven't found any information about the hierarchy of the thrown numbers, that is, if the higher number has the priority or not 🤔
Hi there! Is there any present backgammon competition worldwide or in a particular region?
For anyone interested in a closer look at an FMGammon board, just like Marc’s, but with a different playing field and checkers, see the link to my recent review video below. These boards are available online and eBay, and they are AMAZING!
ruclips.net/video/FHwJiE16kPU/видео.html
Is it important to tell your opponent where you are moving your piece. Also does highest die come first over the second die when moving. For example if I roll a 2 and 5, can I use the 2 first if the 5 is blocked so I can use my total of 7 for that one piece. One more thing, does it matter how the board is facing when setting it up.
Hi Lone Wolf. It does not matter which direction the board is set up in. One player will always play in the clockwise and the other in the anti-clockwise... It doesn't matter who plays which way. Good question!
I really wish backgammon was more popular. Someone should do a charity tournament with celebrities...
That is a great idea! When Backgammon Galaxy is more famous in a couple of years, we will try to set it up! We want Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga and maybe DiCaprio... :)
@@BackgammonGalaxy i know kelly clarkson plays backgammon for sure. But she's the only living celeb I know plays for sure because it was in a written interview. I was thinking about a charity tourney because there's a large backgammon club in Flint Michigan. I don't know if you've heard of the club or the problems they've had in the city the past few years with clean drinking water. But i thought combining the two would help some people and help popularize the game too. Kind of hard to do with covid 19 right now though. But there's always zoom.
Question: when your checkers are all in the your home...you start boarding off do you have to use the dice numbers until every check is out? If you have 3 checks in the 2 spot but only roll a 5 and a 3 do you keep rolling or just move those checks to home??
If you have all your checkers in your home ( and there is no checkers of your opponent there, is better) , and you start boarding off, you have to move according to the dice you roll. If you have only 3 checkers left in your home on the 2nd point and you roll 6, 5, 4, 3 - and 2 of course - , you are allowed to pick one from this point. BUT if you roll 1 , you have to move the top checker 1 point. For example, if you roll 5 and 1, you take one checker(5) and move one checker(1) to next point. AND if you have, for example, only 3 checkers left on the 6th point [the point next to the bar] and you roll 5 and 3, you can't board off any checkers, you have to move them- one checker goes 5 points , one checker goes 3 points forward. I hope it's a clear explanation. :-)
Beautiful board
*I like that beautiful tavla/backgammon board from Turkey..*
For a closer look at an FMGammon board, just like Marc’s, but with a different playing field and checkers, see the link to my recent review video below. These boards are AMAZING!
ruclips.net/video/FHwJiE16kPU/видео.html
What kind of board is that ?and where can I get one?
One thing I wasn't sure about after watching this - do you need to roll exactly to bear off? Like if I've got a piece on the last point do I need to roll a 1 to bear off or will any roll be enough?
If you only have pieces on the 1-point, then any number you roll will bear off checkers. If you have a checker on the 1-point and a checker on the 4-point and you roll 2-1, then you have to move the backmost checker using the 2 and then you can choose to move it one more using the 1 or bear off the checker on the 1-point using the 1.
One question - if it's nearing the endgame portion - and you have a single checker near your starting quadrant (sorry if my terminology is wrong, but I think you get what I mean) with let's just suppose I roll 4-2, my opponent owns the spot for a four-roll from deep, but if I use just the 2 I can move into a stronger position deeper in the board (presumably clearing a one checker weakness). Am I allowed to use the two "first" (presumably ending with all checkers but one in the home board) and forfeit the other die, or do I have to move the only checker that can move the combined total since it is logically possible.
Hopefully, that makes sense. I *love* this game but am really not good at it... Thank you so much for the information and the channel.
You are not allowed to use one die, if it leaves you with no possible moves for the other die, if you have another full move available where you do use both dice. Good questions, and maybe something that wasn't clear from the video!
I learned to play when I was a little kid; however, I learned to play for real when I was in my teens. It's a great game!
It is actually THE BEST game!! 😅
Where can you get a board like that
Quick question Marc, can a player choose to move one dice in backgammon in order to prevent the use of the other dice?
In a concrete example, I roll a 4 and a 6, and i can move the 6 and the 4, however, if I move the 4, I can put my chips in a way that the 6 can't be played anymore, can i choose to do so, an only move the 4? or do I have to forcefully make the play that allows me to move both dice, even if I don't want to??
Thank mate! best content
Great and relevant question! You HAVE to use both numbers on the dice if you can.
Scenario: Playing against the computer. I have a single checker on point 5 of opponents home board. He has 4 checkers on 6 and 4 checkers on 4 and is in the process of bearing off. He rolls a double five and takes off 4 from POINT 4! Looking in the rules it states:
"Tip # 17 You take pieces out by taking them to a bear off deposit. If you cannot make any other move and if the combination for taking pieces out does not fit, you can still take any of them out by an additional rule."
What is this rule? Is this a valid move? Is he not required to move the 4 checkers from point 6 to point 1 before he can take off those from 4? Help!
What if I have one checker at bar and I'm able to put the checker in the game but I'm not able to move second number on the dice? Can I put the checker in or I cannot play it at all?
The checkers on the bar MUST be moved first. If you can move a checker from the bar, it MUST be moved from the bar before you move any other checkers. If you can't move any other checkers other than coming in from the bar, then you have nothing else to do and it becomes your opponent's turn.
What happens if I can play either of the dice?
I have a question: Let's say, I have a checker on the bar and on my opponent's home board only the fifth point is open, and I roll 4 -1. Can I add the two numbers or does it have to be one of the dice with 5 points? Thanks.
Hehe, no 🙂 You can't combine the numbers like that and "magically" create a third roll (in this case 5). The checkers have to land on the exact numbers that the dice show.
@Backgammon Galaxy thank you! I watched a match yesterday and one of the player did something like this, and it made me wonder what that was 🤷🏻♀️
Marc, can you let me know where I can get a travel bag for my set. I have a 19" set 13 inch wide and 2 3/4" high. I have tried all other contacts that I know and no one sells the cloth bags. Thank you for you help in advance
Hi Thomas. Which board do you have exactly? The Galaxy Boards (the Neptune board in 2020 and the Earth Board in 2021) comes with a carry bag made of imitation leather. I am not sure where to get one, maybe try FMGammon.com and write them an email.
@@BackgammonGalaxy I did write them and they only make them for bags they make
@@BackgammonGalaxy My board is a 19" Silverman board. I did contact GammonVillage and they don't sell the bags
Thank you so much for your video!! I just took up backgammon and I love it!! ☺️
Re entering you roll 2 die and use one of them to enter on open point and do you move a checker for the other die ?
Yes you always have to use both dice
Can you use the checker you re enter and move in then move that one the second die number as long as the points are open
Hello Marc, I have another question😬 : Let's say, I throw 3 and 4 and I want to move one checker forward (let's say, I want to rescue it and bring it to the next 7th point 🙂 ). The next 4th point is blocked by my opponent, but the 3rd is open. Now, can I count first 3 and then 4? or must it be the higher number first to make the move? Thank you 😊
You can move three and then four.
You do not need to move the higher roll first.
I have a question when there are 2 more more checkers on the bar and only one of them can be re entered then what to do?
You have to get ALL the checkers waiting on the bar into the game again, in order to be able to move the other checkers. if you could get only one, you try your luck on your next turn for the other checker...
Can players add the dice together to move only one stone? Can you explain ruling doubles? The instructions mention quadrupling the number. Lastly, can you explain the multiplier block?
Yes! You can choose to move two checkers individually or just one checker. As long as both dice rolls are used. The doubling cube is explained in one of our previous videos :-)
Thx so much!!!!
Are you not required to play the highest number first?
Best board I have ever seen
It's an incredibly beautiful and handmade board from FMGammon. After I bought this board in Istanbul we contacted Fuat, the CEO of FMGammon, and made a deal with them to build the Galaxy luxury boards. In 2020 it was the Neptune board, a limited edition of 50 boards, which sold out in 10 day at a price of 699 usd. We are about to launch the 2021 Galaxy board: "The Earth Board", and it's going to be amazing!
Is this board available for purchase and if so, can you post a link? Thank you!
Here's a similar board: shop.backgammongalaxy.com/products/talat
Your board is beautiful 😍
There is a larger brown cube with a #16 on your board - what’s that for?
That is the double cube. You can use it to double the stakes. It is explained in the following video in the video series :)
Thank you for sharing.
My Dad and I play a different type of Backgammon called Acey-Ducey. We start with no checkers on the board, and then begin with the first quadrant.
Can you explain, or demonstrate, or show what Acey-Ducey is please?
Hi Jay. This variation of the game take a long time to play just one game, and it is not the game of the competitions or tournaments. So most likely we will not be making videos on it, there are already so much to discuss in the official variation of Backgammon. Good idea though!
Acey-Deucy is played in the Merchant Marines. It's a variant. You should be able to find it online.
Thank you for the reply.
Yes, it does take much longer to play with only one match to win or lose. However if you roll a 1 & 2 with the dice then that is called Acey-Ducey, this allows you to make a special double move.
You are correct Argon. My Grandfather first played Acey-Ducey on his Navy Ship during WW2. Then he taught my Dad. Now my Dad taught me.
So I tell my Dad, hey look this is actually just a variation of Backgammon. But we never learned about the Backgammon rules haha.
Interesting, if I can learn the Backgammon rules now then I can play, and pass it down to next generation like my Grandfather.
What does the big box do with the 64?
He has another video that tells you what is does. It’s called “Doubling cube”
@@MrAbYounes why did you answer your own question? 😂
What’s the name of the board set? 😁
I played a 'master' online and thought they were terrible... I creamed them every game until they 'had to go'... I would have to play a master to decide if perhaps I am a master... I have been playing about 42 years... we played backgammon tournaments with my family single elimination as a kid... great memories and great feelings reminiscing on that...
I had never heard of the homemade rule that you are forced to bear off as many checkers as you can. That sounds like it would be extremely chaotic 😂
great tutorial
Thank you! Cheers!
No mention of old English rules , a recognised variant which only allows five checkers on a point and is therefore much harder and no mention of the situation where a first move makes a second move impossible but a different first move would force a disadvantageous second move.
Yes. That is not the official rules played at tournaments or on Backgammongalaxy.com that you are talking about. :)
Where did you buy that very nice board and pieces!?
He said, it was from Turkey. It's a very popular game in Turkey and there are many shops in Istanbul that offer quite beautiful examples.
Ok, maybe I missed it? but what's the deal with that BIG HUGE dice? with the 4 and 64 on it.
It's the doubling cube, used at the tournaments. It has the numbers 2-4-8-16-32-64 . For example, if you're sure that you will win, you take it and put it with number 2, this is the starting number. If your opponent thinks they will lose, they give up and they lose immediately but the points they lose won't be doubled. But if your opponent thinks that you might lose, they accept the challenge and the game continues and whoever loses, the won and the lost points will be doubled. Or, maybe soon your opponent thinks they will win and they take the cube and put it with number 4, because this is the next number. If you think you will lose, you give up, if not you accept the challenge. This is the basic role of the cube, it's about winning or losing more points....
I love that board, what set is that?
It's an FM Gammon board. We sell their boards on our shop :) shop.backgammongalaxy.com and our own boards as well (produced by FM Gammon)
Great video 💕 but what is with the big 🎲 with ### ? 🤔
It's the doubling cube, used at the tournaments. It has the numbers 2-4-8-16-32-64 . For example, if you're sure that you will win, you take it and put it with number 2, this is the starting number. If your opponent thinks they will lose, they give up and they lose immediately but the points they lose won't be doubled. But if your opponent thinks that you might lose, they accept the challenge and the game continues and whoever loses, the won and the lost points will be doubled. Or, maybe soon your opponent thinks they will win and they take the cube and put it with number 4, because this is the next number. If you think you will lose, you give up, if not you accept the challenge. This is the basic role of the cube, it's about winning or losing more points....
Do you play to a certain number regardless of how many games it takes to get there... OR do you play a certain number of games and then whoever has the highest point total wins.
You can play money game, which basically means that you play an unlimited amount of 1-pointers (you stop whenever you want) or you can play 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 etc -point matches. In a fixed point match you play as many games as it takes for one of the players to reach that fixed number of points (e.g. 11 points).
Oh I thought you can also make one single move based on the sum of the rolled dices.
Yeah i thought that too!
Yes, you can. You roll 2 dice, you get two numbers. You can move either one checker with the total number, or two different checkers for each die number, as long as the way is clear.
what is that huge dice used for
Check out this video: ruclips.net/video/VSZqgUtrFg8/видео.html
cool dude
Sad. Making my own board at this moment and pieces are in the mail en route...but no one to play with...
Online game doesn't count! >:(
It is sad... :( At least, play some games at Backgammongalaxy.com and join our facebook group "Backgammon Strategy" to be part of the community with thousands of great and friendly backgammon players.
I'm understanding everything so far EXCEPT the winning points at the end. Why was that move forced at 6:12 ?
Because I rolled a 6 so I have to move a checker from the 6-point.
@@BackgammonGalaxy Ok but to move my checkers off the board do I need the exact number of moves or how does that work? I guess that is more what I'm getting at. I'm playing against a computer right now but I don't really get that part.
@@panache2521 In this example the 6 is forced to go out because it's placed on the 6-point. The 2 can be moved in different ways as it is demonstrated in the video. This is the concept for every roll in this part of the game.
What is the large colored dye for
It's the doubling cube, used at the tournaments. It has the numbers 2-4-8-16-32-64 . For example, if you're sure that you will win, you take it and put it with number 2, this is the starting number. If your opponent thinks they will lose, they give up and they lose immediately but the points they lose won't be doubled. But if your opponent thinks that you might lose, they accept the challenge and the game continues and whoever loses, the won and the lost points will be doubled. Or, maybe soon your opponent thinks they will win and they take the cube and put it with number 4, because this is the next number. If you think you will lose, you give up, if not you accept the challenge. This is the basic role of the cube, it's about winning or losing more points....
Where can I buy this board and checkers?
This is an FMGammon board. FMGammon is also the board maker of the 2021 Galaxy board "The Earth Board", as seen in the UBC World Championship. Link: shop.backgammongalaxy.com/products/earth-luxury-backgammon-board
Please where can I buy this backgammon board??
shop.backgammongalaxy.com(some really nice alternatives)
@@BackgammonGalaxy thanks!
What is this board it’s a beautiful piece
This is an FMGammon handmade board. FMGammon is also the board producer, who makes the Galaxy boards. The Neptune board was a 50 boards limited edition and was sold out in a week. The next galaxy board will come in 1 months time from now, so remember to subscribe! :)
No merch ???????????
😥
How many inch board you have?
shop.backgammongalaxy.com
Good video Marc, you have missed one thing doubles being 4 moves