Short Backgammon: Tournament

A full board waits with twenty-four points split into four quadrants, a bar through the middle, and fifteen checkers for each side. Short Backgammon: Tournament sets the match against computer opposition only, using the short backgammon layout with home boards, outer boards, alternating colored points, paired dice, shaking cups, and a doubling cube marked 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. No tie result exists here. The first side to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the round, even if the losing side could remove the rest on the next roll.

How to play?

Roll one die against the computer to decide the first move. Matching numbers call for another roll until different values appear. The higher number uses both dice for the opening move. After that, roll two dice on each turn and move checkers by the exact pip count shown. Movement goes from higher-numbered points toward lower-numbered points. Land only on an open point without two or more opposing checkers. Hit a lone opposing checker to knock it onto the bar. Practice bearing off and board movement here before facing human backgammon opponents.