Backgammon Sets & How to Play: A Guide for Beginners and Gift Buyers

By Jemima Woods

Addison Ross Games: Backgammon

9th December 2025

As Addison Ross continues to celebrate the launch of our first ever games set: Backgammon - the team has compiled some tips and tricks on how to play, how to win, and how to win over your teammate with a deep dive into the games history.

Backgammon Sets & How to Play: A Guide for Beginners and Gift Buyers

Few board games have travelled through history with such elegance and longstanding charm as backgammon. With its creation believed to date back to 3000 BC, and hailing from ancient Mesopotamia (now Iraq) - the game has travelled through countless boarders, languages, stately homes and decadent speakeasys - challenging those who dare to play with a blend of sharp competition, skill and luck.

Today we are seeing backgammon enter into a beautiful resurgence. At a time when culturally, we are craving more connection, off-screen time, and forging deeper memories, this two-player game is the perfect accessory for creating these more intimate moments between individuals.

With this in mind, at Addison Ross, we have chosen to launch the beloved game in some of our most iconic colourways, finished in luxury lacquer, complete with mother of pearl pieces and a high-end suede interior - this collection blends the historic challenge with detailed design aiming to elevate everyone's coffee table or game station this Christmas.

How to Set Up & Play Backgammon: A Simple Guide

Backgammon may be ancient, but learning to play is refreshingly simple. Here’s a quick guide to setting up your Addison Ross board and enjoying your first game.

1. Setting Up the Board

A backgammon board has 24 points (the narrow triangles), split into two sides with a bar in the centre.

Each player has 15 checkers in their own colour. Arrange them as follows:

2 checkers on your 24-point
5 checkers on your 13-point
3 checkers on your 8-point
5 checkers on your 6-point

Your home board and outer board sit opposite your opponent’s. Both players mirror the same layout.

2. The Aim of the Game

Move all your checkers around the board into your home area, then “bear them off” (remove them) before your opponent does. First to clear all 15 wins.

3. How Movement Works

Players roll two dice to determine how many points their checkers may move.

You may move one checker the total of both dice or split the numbers between two checkers.
You can only move to open points—those not occupied by two or more opposing checkers.
If a point has just one enemy checker, you can land on it and “snap” it, sending it to the bar.

4. The Bar & Re-Entering

If one of your checkers is hit, you must re-enter it into your opponent’s home board before making any other move. You do this by rolling a number that corresponds to an open point.

5. Bearing Off

Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, you can start bearing off:

Roll the dice and remove checkers from the points that match your roll.
If there’s no checker on that exact point, you may remove from the next highest occupied point.
First player to bear off all checkers wins.

6. The Doubling Cube (The ‘Gambling Cube’)

The doubling cube adds strategy, tension, and a touch of old-school glamour.

It is marked with the values 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64.

How it works:

At any point during your turn, instead of rolling, you may offer to double the stakes of the game.
Your opponent can either accept (the game continues at double value) or decline (they forfeit immediately).
Only the player who accepted the double can offer the next one.

The cube transforms a simple game into a thrilling tactical contest - perfect for friendly competition or elegant after-dinner play.

7. Tips for a Better Game

Keep your checkers in small groups - stacks create strong blocks.
Avoid leaving “blots” (single checkers) unless you have to.
Use doubles to your advantage—they allow four moves of the same number.

Beautifully simple to learn, endlessly satisfying to master - backgammon is the perfect blend of strategy, chance and style. And with an Addison Ross board, it looks as good as it plays.

Is Backgammon Easy To Learn?

For individuals who are tentative about the complexities of this alluring game, there should be no such reservations. Backgammon is one of the most inclusive pastimes - it’s a simple strategy to pick it up, and it’s not uncommon that a first-time beginner can come to thrash their seasoned opponent in the very same night that they learn the rules.

Backgammon at Home: The Perfect Coffee Table Addition

Backgammon has firmly re-entered the modern home, bridging the gap between play and design. No longer just a game reserved for experts, it’s become a stylish staple that invites people to slow down, connect, and enjoy a moment away from screens. Addison Ross backgammon sets embody this shift beautifully: meticulously finished, thoughtfully designed, and made to complement every interior. Whether you’ve mastered the art of the game or are simply drawn to its social charm, these sets make an elegant, welcoming addition to your living space.

Gifts for Backgammon Lovers

For those who cherish the thrill and tradition of strategy games, backgammon remains one of the most rewarding and timeless choices - which is exactly why it makes such an exceptional gift. Our Addison Ross lacquer backgammon sets come in a beautiful range of colours and finishes: Tortoiseshell, Orange Croc, Tartan and Black Chinoiserie. They will arrive gift-boxed for effortless giving, and include everything needed to play straight away. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, marking a housewarming or choosing something more personal, these elegant sets are the perfect present for any backgammon lover. Explore the full Addison Ross Backgammon Collection to find the ideal style for your loved one.

Shop the full collection of Addison Ross Backgammon here.

Written by Jemima Woods