Who Goes First in Backgammon?
Each player rolls a single die and the higher number goes first. In backgammon the starter then plays those two dice as the first move; in long nardy the starter rolls again. Here are the details, including ties and later games of a match.
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The opening roll
At the start of every game:
- each player rolls one die;
- if the numbers are the same, both roll again;
- the player with the higher number moves first.
In backgammon the starter doesn't roll again: the two dice already on the table are the first move. If you rolled a 5 and your opponent a 3, you play 5-3. That's why opening rolls have well-studied best plays — see the opening moves chart.
Why the first move is never a double
Matching numbers mean a re-roll, so the starter in backgammon always plays a non-double: one of the 15 possible combinations from 2-1 to 6-5. That's a small part of the game's balance — nobody starts with the 24-pip jump that 6-6 would give.
Long nardy: roll again
In long nardy the opening roll only decides who starts. The starter then rolls both dice again and plays that roll, so the first move can be a double. That's where the special first-turn rule comes in: with 6-6, 4-4 or 3-3 a player may take two checkers off the head instead of one.
| Backgammon | Long nardy | |
|---|---|---|
| Who starts | Higher single die | Higher single die |
| Tie | Both roll again | Both roll again |
| First move | The two opening dice | Starter rolls both dice again |
| Can the first move be a double? | No | Yes |
The next game of a match
In a match to 3, 5 or 7 points, each new game starts the same way — with a fresh opening roll. Starting isn't a reward for winning the last game. (Some families play "loser starts" or "winner starts" at home; agree on it before you begin.)
Is going first an advantage?
A little: moving first puts the starter a few pips ahead in the race. But who starts is decided by a random roll in every game, and the first move has to use whatever numbers came up, good or bad. Over a match the advantage evens out.
How NARDEON does it
The game rolls the opening dice for both players automatically and announces the result — for example "White moves first (5:3)" or the name of the player who starts. Ties are re-rolled without you having to do anything. In online games the server rolls the opening dice too, and they're included when you verify the dice after the match.
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FAQ
How do you decide who goes first in backgammon?
Each player rolls one die. The player with the higher number moves first, using both numbers rolled — their own and the opponent's — as the first move.
What happens if both players roll the same number?
Both roll again until the numbers differ. That's why the first move of a backgammon game is never a double.
Does the winner of the last game go first in the next one?
Under standard rules, no: every game of a match starts with a new opening roll. Some home games let the previous winner start, but that's a house rule. On NARDEON every game begins with an opening roll.
Who goes first in long nardy?
The same opening roll decides it, but the starter then rolls both dice again for the first move. So in long nardy the first move can be a double, such as 6-6.
Does White always go first?
No. Color doesn't matter — the opening roll does. In some casual games White starts by agreement, but that's not the standard rule.
Updated: October 24, 2026