Setting up the Backgammon Board

Both players have 2 checkers on their 24-point, as well as 5 checkers on their 13-point, 3 checkers on their 8-point and 5 checkers on their 6-point. You will always find each player’s 13 and 24 points on the far side of the board and their 6-point an 8-point will be located on the near side. Looking at the board from the opposite side, the points will appear in reverse, which means that your opponents 12-point is therefore your 13-point, your opponents 22-point is your 3-point, and so on.

With this in mind, your opponents image will always seem like a mirror image. For example, your 1-point will be on your left but your rival’s 1-point will be to the right. If you are moving anti-clockwise, your opponent will move clockwise, which you can see from the diagram. It doesn’t matter which way the board is initially set up.

You will notice that the numbers on a backgammon board are not actually displayed and also that the doubling cube will initially be placed in the middle of the board, showing the number 64 (which also acts as 1).