A backgammon board is a versatile piece of gaming equipment. You can use it for a wide range of entertaining games, everything from uncomplicated games for children to very intricate games.
Below you can find an extensive list of games you can play on a backgammon board.
Children’s Games
Blast Off
This game is aimed at children who are learning to move the checkers in backgammon. Blast Off involves no hitting.
Blocking Backgammon
This is usually the first game taught to children in the Middle East region. The strategy for this game is very straight-forward.
Eureika
Children in the Middle East are taught this game to become more familiar with a backgammon board.
Acey-Deucey Games
American Acey-Deucy
This game has been a perennial favorite among the US Navy and Marine Corps ever since the WWI.
European Acey-Deucy
Unlike American Acey-Deucy doubles are played on both sides of the dice in the European version.
Greek Acey-Deucy
This is the only game where you can force your opponent to hit one of your blots.
Mexican Backgammon
In this game you can have a maximum of five checkers on a point.
Games Played from the Middle East
Fevga
This game involves no hitting and both players move in the same direction.
Gul Bara
Doubles are extremely powerful in this game and one single checker controls a point.
Gioul
Doubles are extremely powerful in this game and one single checker controls a point.
Moultezim
This game involves no hitting and both players move in the same direction.
Narde
This game involves no hitting and both players move in the same direction.
Plakoto
This is one of few games where an opponent’s checkers are pinned rather than hit.
Plakoto Express
In addition to the rule that an opponent’s checkers are pinned rather than hit, Plakoto Express features a rule that says that if you roll doubles you get to play that roll and every succeeding doubles roll up to 6-6.
Portes
This game is very similar to the backgammon played in the US.
SheshBesh
This Middle Eastern version of backgammon is played sans a doubling cube.
Tapa
This is one of few games where an opponent’s checkers are pinned rather than hit.
Takhteh
This game is very similar to the backgammon played in the
Tawula
In this game players start at diagonally opposite corners, they then move in the same direction around the board.
The Never Finishing Game
In this game checkers can be both hit and trapped.
Older Backgammon Games
Chasing the Girls
This game was made popular in Iceland but it is believed to have been played by the Romans.
Doublets
Doublets is a game of pure luck that was played in Iceland up until the early 20th century.
Fayles
Spain and England were two countries where this game was played up until the 17th century.
Irish
This game saw peaked in popularity in the 16th century.
Jaquet
As the name implies Jaquet was a popular game in France.
Tabula
This Roman game was played using no less than three dice.
Tourne-Case
In this game each player only had three checkers.
TricTrac
This game peaked in the late 18th century. The goal is to get points for certain positions and movements.
Modern Backgammon Games
Hyper Backgammon
In this game each player only has three checkers.
LongGammon
In this game you start with all your checkers on your opponent’s 1-point.
Misere
The goal of misere is to be the last player who bears off his checkers.
NackGammon
In this game constructed by Nack Ballard each player gets two additional back checkers.
Propositions
This is a type of backgammon where the rules are different for the two players.
Roll-Over
In this game each player has one opportunity per game to ask for the dice to be re-rolled.
Games of Pure Skill
Domino Backgammon
In this game the players use dominos instead of dice
Grasshopper
In this game no dice is used.
