How to Play

This guide explains the JustGammon interface. If you are new to backgammon itself, read Backgammon Rules as well.

Before the game

Choose a mode from the home screen. You can enter online matchmaking, create or join a private game, play against a bot, or spectate. See Game Modes for details.

White and Black move in opposite directions. The board is oriented for your role, and JustGammon announces or displays whose turn it is.

Roll the dice

At the start of a playable turn, roll using the on-screen dice control. Keyboard users can press:

• R to roll
• D to roll if dice are waiting, or announce the current dice after they have been rolled

You can enable More → Settings → Gameplay → Auto-roll dice if you do not want to trigger each roll manually.

When doubles are rolled, the value is available four times.

Move checkers

With a mouse or touch screen:

1. Select a checker.
2. Select a highlighted legal destination.
3. Continue until all required dice have been used or no legal move remains.

JustGammon only accepts moves allowed by the board position and available dice. It also enforces the rules requiring both dice to be used when possible and the higher die to be used when only one die can be played.

Move with the keyboard

1. Press Z to focus the board.
2. Use the Arrow keys to position the virtual cursor.
3. Press Enter, Space, or M to select a checker.
4. Move to a legal destination and activate it.
5. Press Escape to clear the current selection.

The number keys 1–6 move the cursor by several steps at once. Hold Shift to move in the reverse direction. See Keyboard Shortcuts for all controls.

Screen-reader users can also explore the board by touch or navigate it like a standard web page. See Accessibility for all supported interaction approaches.

Re-enter from the bar

If one of your checkers has been hit, it is placed on the bar. You must re-enter all checkers from the bar before moving any other checker.

Select the bar checker and then a legal entry point corresponding to an available die. Entry points occupied by two or more opposing checkers are blocked.

Bear off

After all 15 of your checkers reach your home board, you can begin bearing them off.

Select a checker and use the appropriate off-board destination. Keyboard users can position the virtual cursor on a checker and press Delete. Standard oversize-die rules apply when there is no checker on the exact point.

Follow the game

The game screen provides:

• Score for the current match
• Turn timers and remaining game time
• History for game events and chat
• Statistics, including pip count, dice average, hits, vulnerable checkers, and movement efficiency
• Chat with the other player

Open More for history, settings, help, bug reporting, messages, contact support, and game resynchronization.

Finish the match

A normal win scores 1 point, a gammon scores 2, and a backgammon scores 3. The match ends when a player reaches the 3-point target.

If neither player has reached the target, both players can agree to continue with the next game. The board resets while the match score is retained.

Leaving, abandoning, or running out of time can end a game and award it to the opponent. Use the leave command deliberately.

When a game is counted

For access and game-balance purposes, one game means one individual backgammon game—not the full 3-point match. A rematch is a new game.

A game is consumed only after both players complete their first move. If either player leaves before that point, no game is consumed. After both first moves are complete, the game remains consumed even if it later ends through resignation, timeout, disconnect, or another reason.

If Premium expires during an active game, you can finish that game. Subscription access is checked again when you start a new game.

See Plans and Pricing and Purchases and Billing for full details.

Connection recovery

If your connection is interrupted, JustGammon attempts to restore and synchronize the game. If necessary:

1. Return to the home screen.
2. Select Rejoin Game or Continue.
3. In the game, open More → Game resynchronization if the displayed state appears out of date.