• Playing backgammon for fun (virtual) money
• Series (match play) and single (money game)
• Timers in the game
• Disconnections and resuming games
• Object of the game
• Moving checkers
• Backgammon Hitting and entering
• Bearing off
• Gammons and backgammons
• The doubling cube
• Beavers
• Crawford rule
• Restricted activities
• Backgammon tournaments

Playing backgammon for fun (virtual) money

Play and practice backgammon for fun and enhance your game skill.

Series (match play) and single (money game)

When playing a live match, there are two types of game modes:

Series (Match play) – a series of backgammon games between two players. It ends when one player wins by accumulating the agreed and set number of points. For each game, the number of points won is the doubling cube value multiplied by the win type (winning by a gammon is worth 2 points, winning by a backgammon is worth 3 points).

Single game – the normal style of competition, in which each backgammon game is played independently. For each game, the loser pays the winner the agreed initial sum multiplied by the value of the doubling cube and further multiplied by the winning type (two for a gammon or three for a backgammon).

Timers in the game

There are two types of timers:

Move timer – this timer displays the time you have left to make a move. It is reset after each move.

Global timer – this timer starts ticking only after the move timer expires. The global timer is set for the entire game.

Disconnections and resuming games

If you get disconnected, you will have to reconnect and resume the game until your global timer expires. To do so, simply log in again and the disconnected game will be resumed automatically for you.
If you do not return or if you get disconnected 3 times in one game, you will automatically loose the game.

Object of the game

The object of the backgammon game is for each player to bring all his or her checkers into his or her home board, and then to bear them off the board. The first player to clear all his or her checkers off the board is the winner.

Moving checkers

Moving backgammon checkers is determined by the rolled dice and followed by these rules:

The checkers movement is always forward.A player can move his checker only to an open point with one or no opposing checkers.
Each die indicates a separate move.
A player who gets doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice.Moving the checkers in accordance to the roll of dice has to be done unless it’s impossible.
(A player can not move his checker in accordance to only one dice).

Hitting and entering

A point occupied by a single checker of either color is called a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and the checker, which was on it, is placed on the bar. Anytime a player has one or more checkers on the bar, his or her first obligation is to enter those checkers into the opponent’s home board. A checker is entered by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the rolled dice. For example, if a player rolls 4 and 6, he or she may enter a checker onto either the opponents’ four point or six point, as long as the prospective point is not occupied by two or more of the opponents’ checkers. If neither of the points is open, the player loses his or her turn. If a player is able to enter some but not all of his or her checkers, he or she must enter as many as possible and then forfeit the remainder of the turn. After the last of a players’ checkers have been entered, any unused numbers on the dice must be played.

Bearing off

Once a player has moved all of his or her fifteen checkers into his or her home board, he or she can begin bearing off. A player bears off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point, on which the checker resides, and removing that stone from the board. If there is no checker on the point indicated by the roll, the player must make a legal move using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no checkers on the higher numbered points, the player can remove a stone from the next highest point. A player is under no obligation to bear off if he can make an otherwise legal move. A player must have all of his or her active checkers inside the home board to bear off. If a checker is hit during the bear-off process, the player must bring that checker back to his or her home board before continuing to bear off.

Gammons and backgammons

At the end of the game, if the losing player has bourne off at least one checker, he loses only the value showing on the doubling cube (the original wager or one point if there have been no doubles). However, if the loser has not bourne off any of his checkers, he or she is gammoned and loses twice the value of the doubling cube. Moreover, if the loser has not bourne off any of his or her checkers and still has a checker on the bar or in the winners’ home board, he or she is backgammoned and loses three times the value of the doubling cube.

The doubling cube

Backgammon is played for an agreed wager (or number of points in the tournament play). During the course of the game, a player, who feels he or she has a sufficient advantage, may propose doubling the game sum. He or she may do so only at the start of the turn and before the dice are rolled. A player, who is offered a double, may refuse. In such case, he concedes the game and pays the original wager. Otherwise, he must accept the double and keep playing for the new higher sum. A player, who accepts a double, becomes the owner of the cube and only that player may make the next double. Subsequent doubles in the same game are called redoubles. If a player refuses a redouble, he must pay the wager that was at the sum involved prior to the redouble. Otherwise, he becomes the new owner of the cube and the game continues at twice the previous sum involved. Redoubles can increase the original wager by up to 64 times.

Beavers

This is an optional rule in single mode, in which when a player is doubled, he or she may immediately redouble (beaver) while retaining possession of the doubling cube. The original doubler has the option of accepting or refusing, just like with a normal double.

Crawford rule

Crawford rule makes the doubling cube unavailable for a specific game in a series of matches (a.k.a. match play), if one player is one point below the goal.

Example: suppose, two players play a match up to 7. If the score is 6-2, then for the next game the doubling cube will not be available.
However, if the game is won by the player who is behind, the score would be 6-3 and on the next game the doubling cube would be available.

Backgammon tournaments

A backgammon tournament is a competition which involves a relatively large number of competitors. Backgammon tournaments contain multiple matches, each involving a subset of competitors. The overall backgammon tournament winner will be determined based on the combined results of those individual matches.

Restricted activities

• You may not play if you are a resident of the following US states: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Montana, Vermont or any other state or territory, in which you are prohibited by law to participate in this game or win any promotional prizes.
• You may not open more than one account per person, computer and/or address. Each individual account is for the sole and exclusive use of the registered account holder and therefore, cannot be used by any other party.
• You may not use any software or hardware to assist play. The site will monitor any attempt to use such restricted aids, and shall immediately terminate your account upon discovery of such use.
• You may not consult with or help other players while they are playing, by using the chat feature, or in any other way.
• You may not intentionally lose games or try to otherwise manipulate your rating or achieve a competitive advantage.
• You may not harass other participants, or post objectionable material, such as using any offensive and/or racial language and/or sending rapid messages in an attempt to break your opponent’s concentration and therefore, ruin his or her playing ability. The solicitation of sexual content of any kind will result in immediate blocking of all access to our services.
• You may not send any “spam” e-mails or messages, including (without limitation): (i) any unsolicited email to a recipient (ii) repeatedly posting messages, which are irrelevant to the discussion (iii) solicitation of any goods or services.
• You may not disconnect on purpose while in a game or allow the global timer to run out.

THE SITE WILL MONITOR ANY PERFORMANCE OF ANY OF THE RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES LISTED ABOVE AND IN ANY EVENT THE COMPANY DEEMS, AT ITS SOLE DISCRETION, THAT SUCH RESTRICTED ACTIVITY WAS PERFORMED IT MAY IMMEDIATELY TERMINATE YOUR ACCOUNT, WHETHER TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY, WITHOUT NOTICE AND THE BALANCE IN YOUR ACCOUNT MAY BE FORECLOSED BY THE COMPANY AND USED TO FINANCE THE COMPANY’S COSTS OF MONITORING, PREVENTING, AND DEALING WITH ENFORCEMENT OF THE AFOREMENTIONED RESTRICTED ACTIVITIES.

Upon termination of your account, your membership in the site will be canceled. You will be prohibited from any future membership and you will not be permitted to participate in any games.

• Can the backgammon software run on a Mac or Linux?
• Username or password incorrect
• Encountering technical difficulties while playing the game

Gaming queries

• Dice reliability
• Real people – genuine players
• Moving checkers
• Changing game terms
• Player’s rating
• Resign automatically
• Doubling cube
• Crawford rule
• Fun money
• Abuse
• The random dice generator

Can the Absolute Backgammon software run on a Mac or Linux?
Yes, you can play our online backgammon on any operating systems capable to run Shockwave Flash files. Downloadable version is available only for Microsoft Windows.

Username or password incorrect
I received a “Username or password incorrect” message. What is wrong?

If you have forgotten your username or your password, click the Forgot your password? link within the game lobby.

If you are still unsuccessful in retrieving your password, please contact us at support@a-backgammon.com and send us your name and e-mail, under which you are registered with Absolute Backgammon. Once your details are authenticated, you will receive a notification to your e-mail containing your username and your password. Make sure you are trying to log in to a game account, which was created and registered using Absolute Backgammon software and not any of the other versions, which might be distributed over the internet.


Encountering technical difficulties while playing at A-Backgammon.com
I have experienced a malfunction when playing at A-Backgammon.com. How should I address the technical staff in regards to this matter?

This might happen when your computer system clashes with our software. Should you experience a technical problem of any kind, please contact our customer support team at support@a-backgammon.com right away and provide them with a short description of the problem.

Dice reliability
Is it possible for any player to hack the game and control the dice or moves?

All the communication is done through the Absolute Backgammon game server. There is no direct contact at any time between your computer and your opponent’s computer. All the communication is encrypted. There is no way to manipulate the dice as they are generated at the server and sent to both you and your opponent, it is not calculated on one of the player’s machines so he or she could not manipulate the dice as you are connected to the server, not his or her computer.

Real people – genuine players
How do I know I am not playing a bot on your site?

Please note that you can chat with your opponents and viewers while playing. You can also set up a match against a friend: we never force you to play against anyone. In any case, the site is always impartial as a rake is always collected from each game.
In case you agreed with a friend to meet in a certain backgammon room and you cannot see him or her, please click on Settings and make sure the Show Only Players Close To My Rating box is unticked.

Moving checkers
How do I move my checkers and how do I move the lower dice value first?

To move your checkers either drag & drop the checker in place or click on the checker. Left clicking a checker attempts to play the high dice roll first and plays the low dice roll only if the high dice roll was already made or if playing the low dice roll results in an illegal move. Alternatively, right clicking a checker attempts to play the low dice roll first.

Changing game terms
How do I know if my potential opponent changed the game terms while negotiating?

Please note that in the negotiation window, before entering the game board screen, you must notice the terms for each game/match (especially the initial bet and game limits).
For your convenience, each time your opponent changes the terms, these changes will appear in red.

Player’s rating
What is a player’s rating and how is it calculated?

The rating system was made to determine the player’s skill. For any match* you win, you receive rating points. If you lose, you lose rating points as well. Please note: the ratio of how many rating points a player gains and how many rating points his or her opponent loses will not always match.

We use a modified FIBS rating system. You can read more on natural FIBS by clicking here.

Resign automatically
How come my opponent managed to resign automatically for a single point, while he was about to lose by gammon?

In single games, when the sum involved limit is equal to the original sum involved (or current doubling state), the game will end automatically without asking your opponent’s permission.
Example: suppose, the game has a sum involved of $2 per point with a limit of $2. In this case, resignations will be automatically approved. If the limit was set at either $3 or $4, and the game was doubled, resignations would also be immediately approved.
In a series (a.k.a. match play), it will be possible only when the resigning player has no more points to lose. Example: suppose, you are leading 4-2 in a series up to 5. If your opponent then resigns, his or her resignation is automatically approved.

Doubling cube
When can I double my opponent?

Generally, you can double (both in real money and in fun money games) under the following conditions:

Crawford rule
What is “Crawford Rule”?

Crawford rule means that in a series of matches (a.k.a. match play), if one player is one point below the goal, on the next game the doubling cube is unavailable only for that game.
Example: suppose, two players play a match up to 7. If the score is 6-2, then for the next game the doubling cube will not be available.
However, if the game is won by the player, who is behind, the score would be 6-3 and on the next game the doubling cube would be available.

Fun money
I was playing for fun money and I ran out of time, while I was ahead. How come I lost my sum involved?

Whenever playing for fun money, the player, who disconnects or runs out of time, suffers a technical loss of the game/match, regardless of the game board state.

Abuse
How do you prevent players from abusing others by stalling or disconnecting on purpose?

Whenever a player disconnects/times out (real money mode), he or she automatically pays a penalty by win/lose percentages.
Moreover, Absolute Backgammon system recognizes and blocks players who frequently disconnect/cause a timeout.
This means that a player, who disconnects often, will be risking his or her account being automatically banned from the site by our system.

How do you control players that cheat, curse and/or cause general dismay to others?

Absolute Backgammon does everything in its power to prevent any kind of abusive behavior. Most of the time, we do locate and punish players, who are using foul tactics in order to gain unlawful advantage or for any other purpose.
However, every day, an increasing number of new players is joining the site, and along with them, some “rotten apples” as well. Therefore, our work to prevent and eradicate this behavior is an ongoing, 24/7/365 struggle (you should note that most of this behavior is to be found on our “fun” mode, for obvious reasons).
In spite of all that, we can assure you that Absolute Backgammon is better handled than any other site on the net today and far more experienced. Moreover, Absolute Backgammon has the largest community of players from all over the world, to this date – thus, turning to Absolute Backgammon is the best option for any backgammon player, who wishes to play online.

The Absolute Backgammon random dice generator
How can I be sure the dice throws at Absolute Backgammon are 100% random?

We use the Mersenne twister-based random number generator described here.
This random number generator was developed in Keio University, Yokohama, Japan. Please note that it is also utilized by IBM. We tested our system by running millions of rounds and examining the results. We also periodically test the system to ensure its integrity. This generator has a very high quality random-number output.