Common Terms Used in Online Backgammon

Like all games, online Backgammon has developed its own particular vocabulary. It is necessary for all players to be familiar with the many words used to describe the board. Below are some of the more common terms you will hear in reference to your Backgammon game.

In online Backgammon, the playing surface is called the board. The board is divided into two sides and split down the middle by the bar. On a real Backgammon board, the bar is a raised partition on the center of the board where checkers can sit when they have been hit. The virtual Backgammon bar is also the destination for hit checkers.

The right side of the board in online Backgammon is called the Home Board. The Home Board is split into two parts, each comprising a quarter of the total board, and belonging to either you or your opponent. Your side is the final destination of your checkers; your opponent’s Home Board is the final destination for his checkers. His side is also where you enter your checkers from the bar after you’ve been hit.

A closed board occurs in online Backgammon when each point of a player’s Home Board is covered with at least two checkers leaving no point open. “Closing the board” blocks opponents who are trying to re-enter their checkers.