Many have heard about backgammon, but they believe that this game is difficult or long, even without ever playing it. This game is full of symbolism - 12 cells - months, 30 chips - days / nights, and on the bones the sum of the opposing sides is equal to the number of days in a week.
Modern rules appeared in 1743 in Britain. How many chips in backgammon - depends on the game, their number can vary both up and down. It is easy to play backgammon (players from 6 years old), it has simple rules, one round lasts about 10-20 minutes. Another interesting fact is that the game depends on the random value of the dice, so you do not need to calculate each move like in chess.
Short backgammon or long?
There are two main types - short and long backgammon. Short ones require a higher level of player skill, so tournaments are held mainly for this type of game. They are called short not because of how many chips are in backgammon, but because of their dynamism and fascination. With their great similarities, these games have a number of differences that change the gameplay.
The common thing in them is that they are designed for two players, each of them receives 15 one-color chips, they are placed in the house - their corner of the playing field.
One of the main differences is the arrangement of chips and the ability to play broken checkers. During the game, the chips go through the entire playing field (in short backgammon moves are carried out in opposite directions, in long backgammon - in one, counterclockwise). Going around the circle, the chips return to the house and are removed from the field. Whoever does this first is the winner.
The playing field, dice and chips are the same when playing any backgammon. How many chips should be depends not only on whether it is long backgammon or short, but also on the variation of any of these games. Usually there are from 5 to 15 for each player.
In short backgammon, you can knock out blots - cells with one enemy chip.
In long backgammon, the chips are usually located off the board and are entered one by one on the playing field. It is forbidden to place 6 chips in a row, you cannot occupy the field in which the opponent’s chip is already standing, there is no way to knock out chips.
In short backgammon, cell numbering is individual for each player. The final quarter of the playing field (where 5 chips first) is called the house. The farthest is the 24th cell, but it is the 1st point for the enemy. The arrangement of 15 chips occurs as follows: 2 checkers on the 24th cell, 5 - on the 13th, 3 - on the 8th and 5 - on the 6th.
In long backgammon, the house represents the last quarter of the field, 18 cells from the head.
Game progress
Before starting the game, how many chips in the backgammon players have chosen, such a number and are placed along their wall along the entire length. Then they, depending on the values that fell on the cube, move around the field. You can walk with one or two chips. If a double fell on the dice, then the move is repeated with the same or different chips for the same number of moves.
To select a priority, they throw a dice (also called a bone or dawn). The first to make the move is the one with the greatest value. This also determines the initial location of the chips. If the values are the same, then repeated throws are carried out until different results appear. The player, starting the game, moves the chips by the number of moves equal to the dropped values of both dice.
Then, in short backgammon, players take turns throwing two dice and moving their chips from cells with large numbers to smaller ones (clockwise). Chips of one color can stand one above the other, this is called "on the head." You can take only one chip from your head in one go, unless you have a double on the dice. You cannot bet your chips on your opponent. If there is no acceptable move, it is skipped.
Game strategies
It doesn’t matter how many chips are in backgammon, the winnings very much depend on the random values of the dice drawn. But there are, besides the will of chance, some game strategies that build its course so that the enemy is forced to skip his moves. Therefore, it is recommended not to collect the chips compactly, but to distribute them as much as possible on the surface. And although according to the rules you cannot bet 6 chips in a row, you can bet 5, thereby making it difficult for the opponent. If there is no strategic move, you should try to take one chip from your head per move, otherwise the enemy will quickly get to sector 1 with a few of his chips and block your exits.