How to Play Backgammon and Nardy: A Beginner's Guide
Ten minutes from "what are all these triangles?" to your first game. We'll start with what every version has in common, then look at the two main games: backgammon and long nardy.
Play for freeNo sign-up, no download — right in your browser
What you need
- A board with two halves and 24 points — the long narrow triangles, six in each quarter.
- 15 checkers for each player, one side white and the other black.
- Two dice. The numbers you roll tell you how many points you can move your checkers.
The goal
Bring all 15 of your checkers around the board into your home board — the last quarter on your path — and be the first to bear them all off. Whoever does that first wins the game.
How a turn works
- Roll both dice.
- Each number is a separate move: you can move two different checkers, or one checker by the total if the point in between is open.
- Rolled doubles (the same number on both dice)? Play that number four times.
- You must play as many numbers as you legally can. If you can't move at all, you lose your turn.
Who goes first
Each player rolls one die and the higher number starts. In backgammon the first move is played with exactly those two numbers; in long nardy the winner rolls both dice again.
The two main games
Long nardy
The favorite in Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. All checkers start on one point — the head — both sides move in the same direction, and there is no hitting. It's a slower, positional game: the winner is usually whoever builds better blocks and leaves the opponent fewer moves. Long nardy rules →
Backgammon (short nardy)
The version known around the world. Checkers start spread across four points, players move toward each other and can hit each other's single checkers. Games are quicker, with more twists. Backgammon rules →
Bearing off
Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, you can start taking them off. The number on a die tells you which point to bear off from. If there's no checker there and all your checkers are on lower points, you bear off from your highest occupied point.
How many points a win is worth
- Single win — 1 point.
- Gammon (mars in nardy) — the loser hasn't borne off a single checker: 2 points.
- Backgammon (koks; short nardy only) — on top of that, the loser still has a checker in the winner's home board or on the bar: 3 points.
Five tips for beginners
- Start with long nardy against the computer on Beginner — no rush, and nobody waiting for you.
- Don't scatter your checkers: two or three made points in a row hamper your opponent far more than lone checkers.
- In backgammon, don't leave blots where they're easy to hit.
- Keep track of the pip count — how far you and your opponent still have to go — so you know whether to race or hold your ground.
- After an online match, watch its replay: mistakes are easy to spot when you're not in a hurry.
Unfamiliar words — head, mars, bar, prime — are explained in the glossary.
Play for freeNo sign-up, no download — right in your browser
FAQ
Is backgammon hard to learn?
No. The rules sink in after a game or two, and the game won't let you make an illegal move, so you learn as you play. Getting good takes longer — that's where the strategy comes in.
Should I start with backgammon or long nardy?
Either works. Long nardy has no hitting, so there's less to keep track of at first. Backgammon (short nardy) is faster and sharper. In Russia and the Caucasus people usually learn long nardy first.
Is backgammon luck or skill?
Both. The dice add luck to every game, but over many games the better player wins: choosing good moves, building blocks and weighing risk.
What is the best opening move in backgammon?
A classic example is 3-1: move one checker from your 8-point and one from your 6-point to make your 5-point. Most opening rolls have one or two standard plays you'll pick up quickly.
Where can I practice for free?
On NARDEON: play the computer on three levels or real players, with no sign-up and no download.
Updated: October 24, 2026