How to Set Up Backgammon: The Ancient Game That Still Captivates Modern Players
I've been playing backgammon for nearly two decades now, and I still remember the confusion I felt the first time someone tried to explain the setup to me. All those triangular points, the checkers that seemed to go everywhere and nowhere at once—it looked like organized chaos. But once you understand the logic behind the board arrangement, it becomes as natural as setting a dinner table.
The beauty of backgammon lies partly in its deceptive simplicity. Unlike chess, where each piece has its own personality and movement rules, backgammon uses identical checkers that all move the same way. Yet from this simplicity emerges a game of profound strategic depth. Setting up the board correctly is your first step into this ancient world of calculated risks and tactical brilliance.
The Board Itself: Understanding Your Playing Field
Before we dive into placing checkers, let's talk about what you're looking at. A backgammon board consists of 24 narrow triangles called points, alternating in color (traditionally dark and light). These points are arranged in four quadrants of six points each. The board is divided down the middle by a raised section called the bar.
Each player has a home board and an outer board. If you're sitting across from your opponent, your home board is the quadrant to your right, closest to you. Your outer board is the quadrant to your left, also on your side. Your opponent's boards mirror yours—their home board is directly across from yours.
Now, here's something that trips up beginners: the points are numbered differently for each player. For you, point 1 is the rightmost point in your home board, and the numbers increase counterclockwise around the board to point 24, which sits in your opponent's home board. Your opponent counts in the opposite direction—their point 1 is your point 24, and vice versa.
The Sacred Pattern: Placing Your Checkers
The standard backgammon setup follows a specific pattern that has remained unchanged for centuries. Each player starts with 15 checkers of their color—traditionally one player uses white or light-colored checkers, the other uses black or dark ones.
Starting from your perspective, place your checkers like this:
- Two checkers on your 24-point (your opponent's 1-point)
- Five checkers on your 13-point
- Three checkers on your 8-point
- Five checkers on your 6-point
Your opponent mirrors this setup exactly. When you're done, you should see a symmetrical arrangement where your checkers and your opponent's checkers face each other across the board.
I've always found something aesthetically pleasing about this initial setup. There's a balance to it—not just visually, but strategically. You've got checkers in all four quadrants, some safe in stacks, others vulnerable and alone. It's like the game is already whispering its possibilities to you before the first roll.
The Dice and Doubling Cube: Your Instruments of Fate
Backgammon requires two standard six-sided dice for each player (though you can share a pair if needed). Most serious players use dice cups to ensure fair rolls—there's nothing worse than playing someone who has mastered the art of the controlled roll. Trust me, I learned this the hard way during a particularly heated game in a Jerusalem café back in 2018.
The doubling cube is a special die marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. It starts in the middle of the bar, belonging to neither player. This cube transforms backgammon from a simple race into a game of psychological warfare. When you feel you have an advantage, you can offer to double the stakes. Your opponent must either accept (taking possession of the cube) or forfeit the game immediately.
Direction of Play: The Journey Home
Understanding the direction of movement is crucial. Both players move their checkers in opposite directions around the board. If you're moving counterclockwise (from your opponent's home board toward your own), your opponent moves clockwise. The goal is to move all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off.
This opposing movement creates the game's fundamental tension. You're not just racing; you're constantly colliding with your opponent's checkers, creating opportunities for blocks and hits. It's this interaction that elevates backgammon beyond a simple race game.
Common Setup Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Over the years, I've seen every possible setup error. The most common is the "mirror mistake"—placing your checkers as a direct mirror image of your opponent's instead of the rotational symmetry the game requires. Remember: your 24-point is your opponent's 1-point, not their 24-point.
Another frequent error involves the 13-point placement. Some newcomers split those five checkers between the 13-point and the 12-point, probably because it seems more logical to spread out. But no—all five go on the 13-point. This concentrated force serves a strategic purpose that becomes clear once you start playing.
I once played in a tournament where a player had been setting up the board incorrectly for years, placing three checkers on the 6-point instead of five. He'd learned from his grandfather, who had apparently misremembered the setup. It's a reminder that even cherished family traditions can sometimes lead us astray.
The Philosophy Behind the Setup
The initial arrangement isn't arbitrary—it reflects deep strategic principles. Your two back checkers (on the 24-point) are runners, tasked with the longest journey home. The five on your 13-point form a crucial midpoint, ready to support various strategic plans. The checkers on your 8-point and 6-point are already home, providing a foundation for building your home board.
This setup creates immediate strategic questions. Do you run with your back checkers early? Do you try to build a prime (six consecutive points) to trap your opponent? Do you play a back game, keeping anchors in your opponent's home board? The setup supports all these strategies and more.
Setting Up for Variants
While I've described the standard setup, backgammon has spawned numerous variants over the centuries. Nackgammon, invented by Nack Ballard, starts with two checkers each on the 23-point and 24-point instead of just the 24-point. This seemingly minor change dramatically alters the game's opening dynamics.
Hypergammon uses only three checkers per player, all starting on the 24-point. It's backgammon distilled to its essence—pure racing with minimal interaction. I find it useful for teaching the bearing-off process to beginners, though it lacks the strategic richness of the full game.
Digital Age Considerations
In our era of online backgammon, the physical setup might seem quaint. But I'd argue that manually setting up a physical board teaches you the game's geography in a way that clicking "New Game" never can. The tactile experience of placing each checker, the satisfying click as they settle into position—these sensory memories reinforce your understanding of the game's spatial relationships.
That said, digital platforms have democratized backgammon in wonderful ways. No more arguments about proper setup, no more knocked-over checkers disrupting crucial endgame positions. Just pure strategy and the click of virtual dice.
Final Thoughts on Beginning Your Backgammon Journey
Setting up a backgammon board is like tuning an instrument before a performance. It's a ritual that prepares your mind for the strategic symphony about to unfold. Each time you arrange those checkers in their time-honored positions, you're connecting with players across centuries and continents who have done exactly the same thing.
The setup I've described has survived unchanged through the rise and fall of empires, through technological revolutions, through changing fashions in games and entertainment. There's something profound about participating in that continuity. When you place your checkers on their starting points, you're not just preparing for a game—you're entering a tradition.
So take your time with the setup. Let your fingers learn the rhythm of placing checkers. Notice how the board looks when properly arranged. Soon enough, you'll be able to set up a board in seconds, barely thinking about it. But for now, in these early days of your backgammon journey, savor the deliberate placement of each checker. The game begins not with the first roll of the dice, but with the careful construction of possibilities on the board before you.
Authoritative Sources:
Jacoby, Oswald, and John R. Crawford. The Backgammon Book. Viking Press, 1970.
Magriel, Paul. Backgammon. Times Books, 1976.
Robertie, Bill. Advanced Backgammon: Technical Play. The Gammon Press, 1991.
Trice, Walter. Backgammon Boot Camp. Fortuitous Press, 2004.
Woolsey, Kit. How to Play Tournament Backgammon. The Gammon Press, 1993.