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The Equipment

So if you fancy a game of Backgammon what type of equipment do you actually need in order to get started?

One vital piece of equipment is another human being! You may be able to create a game of solitaire out of a pack of playing cards, but you will find no such luck with a backgammon set. So your first step is to find an opponent. Next you need a board. Backgammon is one of the oldest board games in the world, so if people managed to play the game in the 1600s using a stone tablet, we are sure you can rustle something up! Next up are the playing pieces, more commonly referred to as the checkers. Two sets of fifteen checkers are needed to start a game of Backgammon and although historically each piece if circular, they can be any shape you choose, as long as you can distinguish between the two sets. Next up are two pairs of dice. You cannot move your checkers around the board without dice. A doubling cube comes next – this is the cube that denotes the stakes that you are playing for. Last but not least you need a set of dice cups, or if you are really stuck then just simply use your hands!

The game of Backgammon can be purchased in any toy or game store for a very low price. Backgammon groups and even casinos will have sets for people to play with and if you are really stuck, every single piece of a backgammon set can be made from something as simple as paper.

This article was written by Alex, who loves to play casino and board games. When she’s not busy playing live blackjack, you’ll often find her blogging about her wins and losses on other games for the entertainment of others!

The Basics of Backgammon

If you are a fan of board games, and also like a little flutter, then Backgammon is a great choice of game. The game is a little bit like poker whereby it is a combination of both luck and strategic skill. So how do you play it? Here are some of the basics.

The main purpose of the game is to move your playing pieces (commonly referred to as checkers) off the board before your opponent does. The game is designed to be played by two people and the first person to clear their board is the winner.

A game of Backgammon is played on a board. The board consists of 12 triangles and each triangle is numbered from one through to twenty-four. When you begin the game each player will place two checkers on their triangle numbered twenty-four, three checkers on their triangle numbered eight and five checkers each on triangles numbered six and thirteen.

Once each player is set, you now need to take it in turns to roll two dice and move the checkers around the board until you clear all of the checkers. Action starts with the person who rolls the highest die. The board moves from triangle number one around to triangle number twenty-four. So you are always trying to head towards triangle twenty-four. The board is divided into two sections. The first section (triangles 1-6 and 19-24) is known as the inner board and the second section (triangles 7-12 and 13-18) is known as the outer board.

Written by Alex, who loves playing slot games, as well as board games. If she’s not busy playing them, you’re sure to find her blogging about them and her wins and losses!

Playing Against a Maniac

A poker ‘maniac’ is a player who doesn’t appear to have all his mental faculties available to him. He is a player who is allergic to folding, and addicted to his own cards.

Read more

Strategy Session: Establish Anchors in your Opponents Home Board

I am no backgammon expert, just a fanatical player…and lover of the game.

But when I want to discuss strategy, I go to a friend who is a semi-pro.

At least in my eyes.

I asked him recently for some strategy tips: first thing he suggested was to try to establish anchors in your opponent’s home board.

Yeah, it is a  defensive strategy, but it gives you a safe landing place if you are hit and waiting to reenter.

My friend said, “Try to create anchors on the higher points (20 and 21).”

If you have enough checkers behind, keep Read more

In Bulgaria, Players Enjoy a Backgammon Variation Called “Tapa”

If you go to Bulgaria (an absolutely beautiful country….I was there about two years ago) you might want to play TAPA.

Tapa? It’s a backgammon variation. The word itself means “bottle cap” and it’s an appropriate name because one player is looking to block out the other opponent’s pieces.

The movement of the checkers and the objective of “tapa” are same as backgammon, except for one important difference: a blot (single checker) is not taken out when its hit but rather the opponent’s checker rest on top of the blot and by doing that forms a point.

A player can also form points in the usual way by placing two or more of his own checkers in the same slot.

If a player leaves a blot in one of his home slots and gets it covered, the players certainly loses  Read more

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• The Equipment
• The Basics of Backgammon
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• Strategy Session: Establish Anchors in your Opponents Home Board
• In Bulgaria, Players Enjoy a Backgammon Variation Called “Tapa”

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