FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Quiz about The Basics of Backgammon
Quiz about The Basics of Backgammon

The Basics of Backgammon Trivia Quiz


I was very surprised that I did not see a quiz on one of my favorite games, backgammon. This quiz will be on the very basics of the game. I hope you enjoy this.

A multiple-choice quiz by sladeninj. Estimated time: 4 mins.
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Quizzes
  4. »
  5. Hobbies Trivia
  6. »
  7. Games & Toys
  8. »
  9. Board Games

Author
sladeninj
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
263,921
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
1376
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. How many pieces, also called checkers, does each player have in backgammon? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Your pieces are set up on the point. What is a point in regards to the backgammon board? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. The game of backgammon uses dice. How many dice are there in a complete, traditional backgammon set? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. You have your checkers set up and you have your dice ready to roll. Who goes first? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Your first roll is a 6 and a 4. How can you move these numbers? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Your next roll, you roll two 4's. How would you move your checkers for this roll? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. You run into a problem. Your opponent has just bumped your checker to the middle bar. How do you get the checker off the middle bar? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. In backgammon, how do the stones move on the board? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What happens if you cannot move either dice numbers when you roll? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. How do you win at the game of backgammon? Hint



(Optional) Create a Free FunTrivia ID to save the points you are about to earn:

arrow Select a User ID:
arrow Choose a Password:
arrow Your Email:




Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. How many pieces, also called checkers, does each player have in backgammon?

Answer: 15

On a regular backgammon set, the checkers are round, smooth pieces with no designs on them. If you were like me, you learned on the back side of a checker board and used the red and black checkers used for the game of checkers.
2. Your pieces are set up on the point. What is a point in regards to the backgammon board?

Answer: One of the 24 triangles evenly spaced on the board for your pieces to land on

The points are numbered from 1 to 24. The number 1 point is at the right hand corner of where you sit if you are the person moving counter-clockwise. If you are moving clockwise, it is in your lower left hand corner. They are then numbered reverse of how you are moving. One person's number 1 point is the other person's number 24 point. In order to set up a standard game of backgammon, you must place 5 checkers on the number 6 point, 3 checkers on the number 8 point, 5 checkers on the number 13 point, and 2 checkers on the number 24 point.

There are various things in backgammon called a point. But for the purpose of this quiz, the points are the spaces.
3. The game of backgammon uses dice. How many dice are there in a complete, traditional backgammon set?

Answer: 4

You use 2 sets of standard 6 sided dice numbered 1 to 6 on each one. Each player has their own set of dice in the same color as their checkers. There is a fifth six sided die that is called the doubling cube. It has the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on it. For this quiz we will skip the doubling cube.
4. You have your checkers set up and you have your dice ready to roll. Who goes first?

Answer: Both players roll one die. Whoever's number is highest goes first using the result just rolled.

As an illustration, one person rolls a 6 and the other person rolls a 3. The person who rolled a 6 would go first, having to move the 6 and the 3. In the event that the numbers are the same, i.e. 4 and 4, the two players would have to roll again.
5. Your first roll is a 6 and a 4. How can you move these numbers?

Answer: All of the above

You can move any of these combinations. The main rule is that you cannot move your piece into a spot occupied by two or more of your opponents pieces. You can, however, move your piece onto a space occupied by just one of your opponent's piece and bump them to the middle bar.
6. Your next roll, you roll two 4's. How would you move your checkers for this roll?

Answer: Move a combination of 4 pieces 4 spaces each

With doubles, you get to move any 4 checkers the amount shown on the dice. In the above scenario, you would move 4 spaces a total of 4 times. You can do with this one, two, three, or 4 checkers. Again, the same rule applies that you cannot land on a point that is occupied with 2 or more of your opponents checkers, but can land on a point that has just one of your opponents checkers, bumping him to the middle bar.
7. You run into a problem. Your opponent has just bumped your checker to the middle bar. How do you get the checker off the middle bar?

Answer: Roll the dice, provided that your opponent hasn't blocked it, you use one die to get on to your point 19-24

The middle bar is located in the middle of the backgammon board. A better way to describe where you set your piece is when you roll the dice, use one die number and set your checker on your opponent's point 1-6. For example, you roll a 5 and 4. You can set your checker on your opponent's point 4 or 5, provided that your opponent does not have two or more checkers on those points. You can use the other number that you did not use to move around the board.
8. In backgammon, how do the stones move on the board?

Answer: One person moves clockwise working to point 24 and home, one person moves counter-clockwise, working to point 1 and home

The main objective, of course, is you want to get the stones (pieces) around faster then your opponent does. When you move the stones, try to double them up to block your opponents way. Also doubling up keeps your opponent from bumping you to the middle bar.

It is said that backgammon is very dependent on luck. However, it takes some skill to move your stones and make it more difficult for your opponents to move around the board.
9. What happens if you cannot move either dice numbers when you roll?

Answer: You lose your turn

This can be really frustrating, especially if your opponent has a barrier set up against you. A barrier is when a player has 3 or more points blocked with their checkers. If your opponent as a 6 point barrier against you, don't plan on moving that checker for a bit.
10. How do you win at the game of backgammon?

Answer: Move your checkers into the home area and bear off before your opponent

Bearing off is to put your checker in the little cubby-like hole next to your point number 1. To bear your checker off, one of the dice number must be equal to or greater then the point number that a checker is on. If there is a checker on a point higher then the another checker, the lower numbered point that checker is on can only go in on an exact number.

For example, let us say you have two checkers on point 5 and one on point 3. You roll a 5 and a 4. You can move one checker off of point 5 into the bear off area. Because you still have one checker higher then your point 3 checker, you must move the higher checker 4. You cannot move your checker on point 3 in with the 4. You can only move your checkers into the bear off area after you have all 15 checkers on points 1-6.
Source: Author sladeninj

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.
3/28/2024, Copyright 2024 FunTrivia, Inc. - Report an Error / Contact Us