01ONLINE OPPONENT
Meet your next rival
Open the lobby, choose an available table, and enter matchmaking. Play a live head-to-head game when you do not have a friend ready to join.
Open the online lobbyTWO PLAYERS · FIFTEEN CHECKERS EACH
Backgammon 2 player.Play online, together.
A friend across the table or a rival across the world. Play backgammon 2 player online for free, invite someone to a private game, or take turns on one device. Your next match starts in the browser.
- Online or localTwo screens or one
- Private gamesInvite your friend
- No downloadPlay in your browser
FIND YOUR SIDE OF THE BOARD
Three ways to play backgammon with 2 players.
Backgammon is always a game for two. Choose whether your opponent joins online or sits beside you.
02PRIVATE GAME
Invite a friend online
Choose “With friend” in the lobby, then “Play with a friend online”. Create a private game and share the invitation so you can play from separate devices.
Open the lobby to invite a friend03SAME DEVICE
Share a screen
Sitting together? Choose “With friend”, then “Play on the same device”. Take turns rolling and moving your checkers on one phone, tablet, or computer.
Open the lobby for local playFROM THE LOBBY TO THE FIRST ROLL
How to start a 2 player game.
You do not need a physical board or an app download. Open backgammon.rocks, choose who you want to play, and let the board handle the setup.
Open the game menuOpen the lobby
Select “Play backgammon 2 player” on this page to open the game. The lobby brings online tables, friend invitations, and local play together.
Choose your opponent
Pick a table for matchmaking. To play someone you know, open “With friend” and choose either an online invitation or “Play on the same device”.
Join the same game
For a private online game, send your friend the invitation and wait for them to join. For local play, both players use the same screen and take turns.
Race your checkers home
Roll the dice, choose your legal moves, and get all fifteen checkers into your home board. Bear off your last checker before your opponent to win.
YOUR FIRST GAME, EXPLAINED
Backgammon rules for two players.
Each player starts with fifteen checkers on a board of twenty-four points. You move in opposite directions toward your own home board.
Use each die
Each die gives a separate move. Use both numbers if possible. If you can play either number but not both, use the higher one. Doubles give four moves of the same value.
Make safe points
Two or more of your checkers on a point block your opponent from landing there. A single checker is a blot: an opposing checker can land on it and send it to the bar.
Return from the bar
A hit checker must re-enter through your opponent’s home board before you move any other checker. If both entry points are blocked, you cannot move on that roll.
Bring everyone home
Move all fifteen checkers into your six-point home board before bearing off. If a checker is hit later, bring it back home before you resume removing checkers.
Bear off to win
Use your rolls to remove checkers from the board. An exact roll bears off from that point; a higher roll can remove your furthest checker when no checkers remain on higher points.
Understand the cube
The doubling cube changes the game’s value. An eligible player can offer a double before rolling. The opponent can accept and own the cube, or decline and concede the current value.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ROLL
A few ideas for your next opponent.
Playing another person means balancing your own race with the threats on the other side. Look at the whole position before committing to a move.
For a fuller introduction, read our Backgammon rules and Backgammon strategy.
Protect loose checkers
Before leaving a blot, check which dice would let your opponent hit it. Taking a risk can be useful, but make it a deliberate choice.
Build points together
Connected points make it harder for opposing checkers to escape. They also give your own checkers safer places to land.
Know when to race
Once the checkers have passed each other, hitting and blocking no longer matter. Focus on getting home and bearing off efficiently.
Learn between games
With a friend, compare the moves that surprised you after the game. Talking through a difficult roll can help both players see new options.
BEFORE YOU TAKE A SEAT
Backgammon 2 player FAQ.
Find the right setup for you and the person on the other side of the board.
Can I play backgammon 2 player online for free?
Yes. You can play backgammon for free in your browser on backgammon.rocks. Open the lobby to choose an online table, invite a friend, or start a game on the same device.
How do I play backgammon online with a friend?
Open the lobby and choose “With friend”, then “Play with a friend online”. Create a private game and share the invitation with your friend. Each player joins from their own device.
Can two people play backgammon on the same device?
Yes. In the lobby, choose “With friend”, then “Play on the same device”. Both players use one board and take turns on the same phone, tablet, or computer.
What is the difference between online and local 2 player?
Online play connects two devices over the internet, either through matchmaking or a private invitation. Local play puts both players on one device, taking turns on the same screen.
Can I play on a phone against someone on a computer?
Yes. backgammon.rocks runs in modern phone, tablet, and desktop browsers. Use a private online invitation to join the same game from different devices.
Do I need to download an app?
No download is needed for browser play. Open the game in a modern browser. Keep an internet connection for online matches and private invitations.
Can I practise before playing another person?
Yes. Choose the computer opponent in the lobby to practise your moves before starting a two-player match. You can return to the lobby when you are ready to play someone else.
Is backgammon always a two-player game?
Classic backgammon is played by two opposing sides, with fifteen checkers each. In a game against the computer, the computer takes the other side. In local or online multiplayer, another person does.
THE OTHER SIDE IS WAITING
Two players. One more game.
Invite a familiar rival or meet a new one. Open the lobby and choose your next backgammon match.
Play backgammon 2 player