Play backgammon online
A full game of backgammon in your browser — free, with no sign-up and nothing to install. Play against the computer, or pass-and-play with a friend on one screen. Roll, move, hit and bear off; the board keeps you to the rules.
How to play here
Pick a mode at the top of the panel: Vs computer, where you play White against the bot, or Pass & play, where you and a friend take turns on one screen. On your turn, click the dice cup to roll — the dice tumble onto the board — then tap a checker of your colour to lift it. The points you may move to light up; tap your destination. Use both numbers, or all four on a double.
If one of your checkers is hit it goes to the bar, the raised strip down the middle, and must come back into play before you do anything else. When your roll is spent, the turn passes on. New to the game? Read how to play backgammon first, sharpen up with the daily puzzle, and look up anything unfamiliar in the glossary.
Common questions
Is this backgammon game free?
Yes, completely. There is no sign-up, no account and nothing to download — the game runs in your browser. Open the page and start playing.
Can I play against the computer?
Yes. Choose 'Vs computer' and you play White against a built-in opponent. Prefer a human? Switch to 'Pass & play' and two players share one screen, taking turns.
How strong is the computer opponent?
It plays a sensible casual game — it makes points, hits loose checkers, races when ahead and avoids leaving easy shots. It is good company for a casual game or for practice, but it is not an expert-level engine, so a strong player will out-play it.
How do I move my checkers?
Roll using the dice cup, then tap one of your checkers to pick it up — the legal landing points light up — and tap where you want it to go. Play both dice (or all four on a double); the turn passes automatically when your roll is spent or you have no legal move.
What is the bar in the middle for?
The raised strip down the centre is the bar. When one of your checkers is hit it is placed there, and you must bring it back into play — entering in your opponent's home board — before you can make any other move.
Which backgammon rules does it use?
The standard game from the regular starting position, with full rules for hitting, the bar and bearing off. The doubling cube is not built into the board — keep score with a physical cube if you play for points — and the variants are explained on the variants page rather than played here.