Main Page Rules Variants Software Articles Matches Openings Etiquette Forum Archive Books Humor Motif BG Gnu BG Glossary

Search: Web This site Comments: tom@bkgm.com

Backgammon Variants

Fayles

Setup: Each player starts with two checkers on the opponent's one-point and thirteen checkers on his own six-point.

To start: Each player rolls one die and the higher number goes first. That player then rolls both dice again to begin his first turn.

Play: Three dice are used in this game. Checkers are moved according to the numbers on the dice. You can make three moves with three different checkers, or you can make two or all three moves with the same checker.

There is no such thing as "doubles."

Hitting: If you land on an opponent's blot, that blot is placed on your 1-point (not on the bar) and the hit checker must travel around the board again.

You may not hit your opponent if your 1-point is blocked, so you should exercise caution about making your 1-point too early in the game.

End of game: You must always play all three numbers of the dice. If you roll a number that you cannot play, you lose the game.

The first player to bear off all his checkers wins.

Differences from Backgammon

Players start with 2 checkers on opponent's 1-point and 13 checkers on their own 6-point. Three dice are used. There is no such thing as "doubles." A player who cannot play all three numbers thrown loses the game.

References

• R. C. Bell: Discovering Backgammon.
• H. J. R. Murray: A History of Board-Games other than Chess; Oxford University Press, Oxford, England; 1951 (page 123).