Backgammon
Backgammon is a board game which relies as much on luck as it does on the player’s strategy. It is a game played by two people wherein a board with fifteen checkers for each player are placed, and the chips are moved accordingt to the results of the roll of the dice a player makes for each turn. The objective of the game is to be able to move all the pieces out of the backgammon board, and the first one to do this wins the game.
The game requires the following equipment: the backgammon board, which has twelve long triangles on each side, called points; the dice – four dice is the standard number of dice that needs to be present in a game, even though only two dice are used for gameplay, so that there are substitute dice at hand; dice cups for the dice; and if desired, a backgammon clock, although using a clock will add extra rules to the game. For this discussion, let’s stick to the game without the clock in order to know the basics.
The game begins with both players rolling one die to see which one has the higher number. The one who achieves a higher number gets to go first, moving his checkers clockwise as the number on the die indicates. The second player does the same afterwards, and they each take turns in rolling the dice and moving their checkers from one point to another. When the dice are rolled, a player may choose to move only one checker based on the value of one die and then move it again based on the value of the other die, or he may move two checkers, one following the first die and the other following the second die. Players need to remember that a checker can only move into points that do not have their opponent’s checkers on it, with the exception of one checker. If only one checker is there, then a player can move his checker there and his opponent’s checker will be considered a “blot”. The blot shall be placed on the bar between the boards of the two players and can re-enter the board only after the dice is rolled again, and only through the opponent’s board.
When the checkers have made their way around the board and back into the board of the player, then the player can start bearing off his checkers – that is, removing the checkers from the board to his home base. This is still done by rolling the dice and following the numbers. Once all fifteen are on the base, that player wins the game.
The game relies greatly on chance because no one can predict what will come out of the rolled dice. At the same time, the game relies on a player’s strategy. Deciding which pieces to move when will help a player move his checker pieces faster, thus enabling the player to be able to bear off his pieces first and win the game. It is one of the oldest board games out there with simple mechanics for everyone to enjoy.