How Long Does a Game of Backgammon Take?
A single game of backgammon is short — usually a matter of minutes online. A match takes longer, and long nardy is slower than backgammon. Here's where the time goes and how to plan a quick game or a long evening.
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Short answer
- One game online: a few minutes when both players move briskly.
- One game over the board: longer — physical dice, counting and conversation add up.
- A match: several games — the longer the match, the more games.
- Long nardy: roughly twice as many turns as backgammon.
Those are rough figures, not rules. What really sets the length is the number of turns and how long each turn takes, so let's look at both.
How many turns a game needs
At the start of backgammon each player's checkers have to travel 167 pips in total (that's the pip count). Across all 36 possible rolls, a roll is worth 8⅙ pips on average, doubles included. So even with no hitting at all, a player needs about 20 rolls to bring everything home and bear off. In practice games run longer: hit checkers start over from the bar, and some pips are wasted while bearing off.
In long nardy all 15 checkers begin on one point, 24 pips from the end, which makes 360 pips per side. Divide by 8⅙ and you get more than 40 rolls each before anyone can finish. There's no hitting, so nothing gets sent back, but the head rule and blocks slow things down too.
| Backgammon | Long nardy | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting pip count | 167 | 360 |
| Minimum rolls in a pure race (≈) | about 20 | about 44 |
| What makes it longer | Hits, the bar, primes | Head rule, blocks |
How long a turn takes
Online, a simple move takes a few seconds. Hard positions take longer, and new players naturally think more. On NARDEON online matches use a clock so nobody can stall:
- 12 free seconds on every move — while they run, your time bank isn't touched;
- then a 2-minute time bank for the whole match;
- no single move may take longer than 60 seconds;
- run out of time and you lose the match.
So a player who always moves within 12 seconds never touches the bank. For a 20–25-turn backgammon game that's at most about 4–5 minutes of thinking per player, plus whatever is used from the bank. Settings like Auto roll, One-tap moves and Move without “Done” shave off more time. Against the computer and on one screen there's no clock at all — take as long as you like.
Match length: the real time choice
When you start a game you choose Match to 1, 3, 5 or 7 points. A normal win is worth 1 point, a gammon 2 and, in backgammon, a backgammon 3, so a match to 1 is a single game while a match to 7 can easily take seven or more games. How points add up is explained on the backgammon scoring page.
| You have… | Try |
|---|---|
| A coffee break | Backgammon, match to 1 |
| 15–20 minutes | Backgammon to 3, or long nardy to 1 |
| An evening | Match to 5 or 7, either game |
Can a game go on forever?
No. Every roll moves checkers forward, and you're required to play whenever you can, so a game always ends. Long games happen when both sides get stuck behind primes or keep hitting each other, but they still finish. Online, the clock also guarantees a match can't drag on: a player who stops moving loses on time, and one who disconnects has a minute to come back.
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FAQ
How long is one game of backgammon?
Online, with a few seconds per move, usually a few minutes. Over a real board it usually takes longer: rolling by hand, counting pips and chatting all add up. It depends mostly on how fast the players think and how much hitting there is.
How many turns does a backgammon game last?
Each player starts with a pip count of 167 and an average roll is worth about 8 pips, so even a pure race takes about 20 rolls each. Hits and wasted pips make real games longer.
Is long nardy longer than backgammon?
Yes. All 15 checkers start on the head, 24 points from home, so each side has 360 pips to cover — more than twice as much as in backgammon. Expect about twice as many turns.
How long does a backgammon match take?
A match to 1 point is a single game. Matches to 3, 5 or 7 points need several games each, because a game is worth 1, 2 or 3 points. Pick the length that fits the time you have.
Is there a time limit per move online?
Yes. On NARDEON each move has 12 free seconds, then you use a 2-minute time bank for the whole match. No single move may take longer than 60 seconds. Games against the computer or on one screen have no clock.
Updated: October 23, 2026