Irish Backgammon Variant

Irish Backgammon hails from 16th century Europe where it was popular in various countries.

How does Irish Backgammon differ from Backgammon?

1. The player that wins the opening roll rolls again for his initial turn.
2. Even on a doubles roll the numbers are each played only one time.
3. If one of your opponent's checkers is on the bar, you may not shut it out.
4. Bearing off from a low point is possible, even in the case that some of your checkers are on a higher point in your Backgammon board.
5. No gammons or backgammons exist in Irish Backgammon.
6. No doubling cube exists in this Backgammon variant.

Players need to move their checkers in accordance with the points that correspond to the numbers that come up when they roll the dice. The following are the rules of checker movement in Irish Backgammon:

1. A checker can only be placed on a point that isn't held by any of the opponent's checkers.
2. There are 2 dice in Irish Backgammon and the numbers on each of them signify 2 independent moves.
3. Each double is played 2 times in Irish Backgammon.
4. A player has to use both of the numbers that come up on a dice roll whenever it is possible. In the case that you can only play 1 number, you have to play the higher number.

A blot is a single checker that occupies a point. If your opponent's checker winds up on your blot, your blot gets hit and is put on the bar. In this Backgammon variant, whenever you have at least 1 checker on the bar, your number 1 priority should be to get those checkers in your opponent's home board. The way to do this includes moving a checker to an available point that matches 1 of the numbers you've rolled. In the case that you succeed in bringing some, but not every one of your checkers, then you have to bring in as many as you possibly can and forsake the rest of your turn.

The distinguishing factor of Irish Backgammon is a rule called binding the tables, according to which you can not close your home board if the other player's checker is on the bar. In the case that you do, both you and your opponent must roll a single die apiece. The winner of the roll determines the home board point you have to open. Every checker from that point is put on the bar, except one, and these checkers need to be entered again.

When every one of your checkers is in your home board, you can start to bear off. In order to bear off in this Backgammon variant, you need to roll a number that is either the same or bigger than the point that the checker stands on. A precise bear off is unnecessary and you can make a regular move with another checker when the opportunity comes along. Unlike when you play Backgammon of the traditional variety, in Irish Backgammon, you can bear off of a point with a lower number even when a point with a higher number is occupied by checkers.

The winner of Irish Backgammon is the one that bears off every one of his checkers before his opponent. Nonetheless, bonuses aren't awarded for gammons or backgammons.

David Carnegy - Managing Editor