TAVLIPLAY · ONLINE BACKGAMMON
From the opening roll to the last checker: learn the moves and the game format we use on TavliPlay.
FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS
Short examples and quick checks for signed-in players. The rules below are open to everyone.
Beginner lessonsRace to bring all 15 of your checkers into your home board, then bear them off. The first player to remove all 15 wins. Coral starts with 2 checkers on 24, 5 on 13, 3 on 8 and 5 on 6. Teal starts with 2 on 1, 5 on 12, 3 on 17 and 5 on 19.
The players travel in opposite directions, never backwards. On TavliPlay’s numbered board, coral moves 24 → 1 and has home points 1–6. Teal moves 1 → 24 and has home points 19–24. Point numbers are fixed, whichever colour you play. The bar is the centre divider, not a normal landing point.
Each player rolls one die. A tie means both reroll. The player with the higher number starts and uses both opening numbers for that turn, without rolling again. After that, players alternate turns and roll two dice.
A die moves one checker that many points. You may move one checker twice or two different checkers. Every landing, including an intermediate landing, must be legal. Use both dice whenever a sequence permits it. If either die can be used, but not both together, use the higher one. If only one is legal, use that one. Doubles provide four moves of the same value; use as many as possible.
An empty point or one with your own checkers is open. A point with two or more opposing checkers is blocked: you cannot land there, although you may pass over it. A single opposing checker is a blot; landing on it sends it to the bar.
Enter every checker on your bar before moving any other checker. Coral enters at 25 minus the die, while teal enters on the die’s number. Entry must land on an open point or an opposing blot. If no entry is possible with the available dice, confirm the pass. After entering, use any remaining playable dice normally.
All your remaining checkers must be in your home board, with none on the bar. An exact roll can remove a checker that distance from the exit. An oversized roll can remove the furthest checker only when none is further from the exit. You can choose a legal home-board move instead, subject to mandatory dice use. If hit, bring the checker back home before resuming bearing off.
Roll, select a checker, then tap a highlighted destination. Highlights account for mandatory dice use. Undo changes draft moves. End turn submits your complete turn, including a pass when no legal move exists. Once confirmed, moves cannot be undone. Opponent moves appear in sequence; completed online games with available recordings can be replayed in History.
TavliPlay uses the checker movement and opening roll of backgammon. There is currently no doubling cube, gammon/backgammon multiplier, or multi-game match score. Each online game records one win or loss. Rank Points are a separate ladder system. Traditional Greek Portes and tournament formats may use different opening or scoring conventions. Only Portes is currently playable; Plakoto and Fevga are not yet available.
Further reading on the general rules: Backgammon Galore. For app-specific differences, see our format above.