TAVLIPLAY · GUIDES
Portes and backgammon: what is different?
Clear rules, board examples, and practice without pressure.
The same core checker play
Portes is the Greek form of backgammon. Each player has 15 checkers on a 24-point board. Players travel in opposite directions, bring their checkers home, and bear them off. The first to bear off all 15 wins.
You can hit a single opposing checker, but cannot land on two or more opposing checkers. A hit checker must re-enter from the bar first. Dice represent separate moves, and you must use as many legal moves as the roll allows.
Scoring is not always the same
Tournament backgammon can use a doubling cube and double or triple game values (gammons and backgammons). Do not assume every platform or group uses the same match format.