Hyper Backgammon Rules

Initial positioning

Initial positioning of checkers

HyperBackgammon is a game for two players. The board game consists of 24 narrow triangles marked on it, which are called points. Triangles are alternating by colour and are united into four groups by six triangles in each. These triangles are called – home, yard, opponent’s home, opponent’s yard. Home and yard are divided between themselves by a ridge, which stands out over the gaming board and is called bar.

Another positioning is also possible, which would be mirror-like symmetrical to the one indicated on the picture. Home is placed on the left, whereas yard is placed correspondingly on the right.

Points are numbered for each player in a separate way, starting with home of the corresponding player. The farthest point is the 24th one, which is also the first point for the opponent. Each player has three checkers. Initial placing of checkers is as follows: each player has one checker in the 24th, 23rd and 22nd point (first, second and third).

Each player has its own pair of dice and a special dice cup, which is used in order to mix dice. The cube sides have the following figures 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64; the cube is used in order to follow the current stake of the game.

Purpose of the game

The purpose of the game is to move all your checkers to your home board and bear them off the board. First player to bear off the checkers wins the game.

Making a move

Direction of white checkers movement. Black checkers are moved in the opposite direction.

To start the game each player rolls a die in order to determine which player starts first and what numbers he/she will be using for his/her first turn. If both players rolled equally, they should re-roll until the numbers are different. The player, who got the highest number of points on the die, moves his/her checkers according to numbers on both dice. After the first turn, the players roll two dice in turns and make corresponding moves.

The number on each die shows how many points or pips the player has to move his/her checkers. Checkers should always be moved only into one direction, from points with high numbers towards lower ones.

The following rules should be applied:

Two possibilities where white checkers can play [5*3]

• A checker can be moved only to an "open" point, i.e. the one which is not occupied by two or three checkers of the opposite color.

• Numbers on both dice represent separate moves. For instance, if the player rolled 5 and 3, he/she may move one checker by three spaces, and another – by five or he/she may move one checker by eight (five plus tree) spaces, but the latter is valid only if the intermediate point (at a distance of three or five fields from the initial point) is also open.

• The player who rolled the double should play each number on the die for two times. For instance, if the combination [6*6] is rolled, then the player has to make 4 moves by six points and move his/her checkers in whatever combination he desires.

• The player has to use both numbers that he rolled, if this is allowed by the rules (or all four numbers in the event of a double). If it is possible to play one number the player is obliged to play this number. If each of the numbers can be played separately (but not two at once), the player has to play the greater one. If the player is not able to make a move, then the turn is forfeited to the opponent. If a double was rolled and the player is not able to use all four numbers, he/she should play as many moves as possible.

How to hit and enter the blot

If white checkers rolled [6*4], but one of the checkers is on bar, they should enter the checker into the fourth point in the "black" home, because the sixth point is occupied by black checkers

The point, occupied by only one checker is called blot. If a checker of the opposite colour landed on this point, the blot is considered to be hit and is placed on the bar. At any moment, when one or several checkers are placed on the bar, first duty of the player is to enter the checkers in the opponent’s home. The checker enters the game, moving to the point, corresponding to the number, shown on the die.

For instance, if the player rolled the combination 4 and 6, he/she may enter the checker into the fourth or sixth point, if they are not occupied by two or more opponent’s checkers.

If both points, corresponding to numbers on the rolled dice, are occupied, the player has to pass his turn. If the player can introduce some of his/her checkers, but not all of them, he should enter all possible checkers and then pass the remaining part of his/her turn. Once all of the checkers are introduced from the bar, the unused numbers on the dice can be used, as usual, by moving the checker that has been entered by the player, or any other checker.

How to bear off checkers

The white checkers rolled [6*4]. They bear off two checkers.

When the player moved his three checkers into his/her home, he/she may bear them off the board. The player bears off the checker as follows: a couple of dice should be rolled and the checkers, occupying the points, corresponding to the numbers from the rolled dice, should be borne off the board. For instance, if the player rolled 6 points, he/she could bear off a checker from the sixth point.

If there is no any checker on the point, corresponding to the number from the die, the player is allowed to move the checker from the points, which are greater than the rolled number. If the player is able to make any moves, he is not obliged to bear off the checker from the board.

During the process of bearing off the checkers, all player’s checkers shall be positioned within his/her home. If a checker would be hit during the process of bearing off the checkers, then the player must move his/her checker back to his/her home before continuing to bear off the checkers. The first player to bear off all the checkers from the board, wins the game.

Dave

Backgammon is usually played for money based on a fixed stake per each won point. Each game starts upon the stake of one point. During the game, the player who feels that he/she has a greater advantage in the game may propose Dave (i.e. to double stakes). He/she can do this only before the start of his/her turn, before rolling the dice.

If the player, who has been proposed to double the stakes, passes his/her turn, he/she forfeits the game and loses one point. Otherwise, he/she must accept Dave and play double stakes. The player, who accepted Dave, becomes the cube owner and he/she is the only one who can double the stakes again. Counter doubling of stakes within the same game is called Base (or redouble). If the player gives up at this moment, he/she loses as many points as there were on stake before such redouble. Otherwise, the cube is passed on to him and the game continues with a redoubled stake. There are no any limitations on the number of redoubles.

Mart and Koks

At the end of the game, if the losing player managed to bear off at least one checker from the board, he/she loses as many points as there were on cube at that moment (one point, if none of the players announced Dave). However, if the losing player did not manage to bear off any of the checkers from the board, he/she loses Mart, thus losing a doubled amount of points. Moreover, if the losing player did not bear off any checker and one or several of his/her checkers remained on bar or in the opponent’s home, he/she loses Koks, thus losing a tripled amount of points.

Additional Rules

Certain additional game rules are widespread.

Auto-double. If both players rolled an equal number of points during the first turn, the stakes should be doubled. The cube is rolled for two times and is left at the middle of the board. Usually the players agree in advance regarding the limitation of number of auto/redoubles at the beginning of the game. This rule is being used from time to time in money game for a greater hazard.

Beaver. If the player is announced Dave, he/she can immediately re-double the stakes by announcing the counter re-double – beaver, the cube being retained in the possession of the player in this case. The player, who was the first to announce Dave, has a possibility to accept this beaver or pass it on as in the case of simple Dave.

Jacoby Rule. Маrt and Koks are scored as one point, if neither of the players announced Dave during the game. This rule speeds up the game, because it eliminates situations where the player does not announce Dave due to his/her willingness to play Mart.

Matches, money game and team backgammon

• As a rule, a match consists in several games. The purpose of the entire match play is to acquire a certain number of points (as a rule, it is played until 3, 5, or even greater odd amount of points).

• Dave is regularly used in match plays.

• There is one limitation to the previous point. (Crawford Rule). If in this game your opponent scored one point less than it was needed to win the match play, then in this game you don’t have any right to announce Dave. If you are the winner of the game, then you could double the stakes in the next one.

• There is a backgammon variation – money game, which, deriving from the name, is regularly played for money. The number of games is not limited in this variation (usually it is played until a certain difference in score or until certain time).

• The Jacoby rule is regularly used in moneygame – i.e. , Mart and Koks are scored as one point until the cube has turned. Beaver may also be used in moneygame, if the sides have agreed on this at the beginning of the game.

• Several variations of backgammon team game may be used sometimes in tournaments and clubs. Basic variations are as follows:

  • Pair consultations – Two-on-two game on the same board. The game follows regular rules, but each game involves two players, who are allowed to consult with each other. As a rule, the dice either are rolled by one of the players or they are changed after each game.
  • Team tournament – As a rule, each team is made of three players. The game follows regular rules on three boards. The team has to win two matches out of three in order to be the winner.
  • Shoo-ETT (Chouette) – A club backgammon variation "One against the others".

Controversial situations

• Both dice shall be thrown simultaneously on the plain surface of the board game in the right section of it. The player shall re-roll if one or two dice turned out of the right section of the board, hit the checkers or did not land horizontally.

• The turn is deemed to be made, when the player has taken his/her dice. If the turn is not finished or is against the rules, the opponent may either accept the move as it is or to ask the player to make a right move. The move is deemed to be made as it is, if the opponent rolled his/her dice or started his move by announcing Dave.

• If the player rolled his/her dice before his/her opponent finished the move (i.e. did not take his/her dice), the player’s throw is not valid. This rule is not usually applied if the move was forced and when any further contact between the checkers of the opposite sides is not possible.