I Built My Own Online Backgammon Game: Free to Play and Share

I’m excited to finally share a project I’ve been pouring myself into. With the help of AI, I built my own online backgammon game completely from scratch, and it’s the first program of this scale I’ve ever made. It’s a shareable, multiplayer, fully functioning backend and game, and you’re welcome to play it for free and share it with your friends.

You can play live against a friend from anywhere, or take on the computer. No signup, no catch. Just open the link, pass it along to whoever you’d like, and play.

Backgammon has been a favorite of mine for years. That’s me above with one of my old boards out in the backyard, with a little company. Turning a game I love into something I could build and share has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in a while.

It’s something I’m still actively building and improving, so if you run into anything or have ideas, I’d love to hear from you: leave a comment or use the contact form. Thanks, and have fun!

New to Backgammon? Here’s How to Play

If you’ve never played, don’t let the board scare you: it looks more complicated than it is, and you can pick up the basics in a few minutes. Honestly, the easiest way to learn is to just start a game: it enforces the rules for you and shows you your legal moves, so you really can’t mess it up. But here’s the quick version to get you going.

• The goal. Each player has 15 checkers. You’re racing to move all of yours around the board into your own “home” quadrant, and then off the board entirely. The first player to bear all 15 off wins. You and your opponent move in opposite directions.
• Your turn. Roll the two dice. The numbers tell you how far to move: you can move one checker the total of both dice, or split it and move two checkers (one die each). Roll doubles, say two 5s, and you get to play that number four times instead of two.
• Making points. You can land on any open point, or one that already has your own checkers on it. Get two or more checkers on a point and you “own” it: your opponent can’t land there. String a few of those together and you’ve built a wall.
• Getting hit. A single checker sitting alone is called a “blot.” If your opponent lands on it, your checker gets knocked to the bar in the middle, and you have to bring it back in from the far side before you can do anything else. So try not to leave blots where they can be hit, or do it on purpose when the risk is worth it. That’s where the strategy comes in.
• Bearing off. Once all 15 of your checkers are home, you start taking them off the board with your rolls. The first one to clear all 15 wins the game.
• The doubling cube (optional). That little cube marked 2, 4, 8, 16… is for raising the stakes. If you think you’re ahead, you can offer to double; your opponent either takes it or gives up the game. Ignore it completely when you’re starting out: you don’t need it to play.

That’s really all you need to start. The good stuff (when to hit, when to build a wall, when to play it safe and just run for home) comes naturally the more you play. So grab a friend, send them the link, and jump in.