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The Basics of Backgammon Trivia Quiz

I was very surprised that I did not see a quiz on one of my favorite games, backgammon. This quiz will be on the very basics of the game. I hope you enjoy this.

A multiple-choice quiz by sladeninj. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
sladeninj

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
263,921

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
1391

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. How many pieces, also called checkers, does each player have in backgammon? Hint

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Question 2 of 10

2. Your pieces are set up on the point. What is a point in regards to the backgammon board? Hint

The middle bar

It is an area designated outside the actual playing board

There is no such place as the point in backgammon

One of the 24 triangles evenly spaced on the board for your pieces to land on

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Question 3 of 10

3. The game of backgammon uses dice. How many dice are there in a complete, traditional backgammon set? Hint

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Question 4 of 10

4. You have your checkers set up and you have your dice ready to roll. Who goes first? Hint

Both players roll one die. Whoever's number is highest goes first using the result just rolled.

White goes first

The player who gets their checkers set up first goes first

Brown goes first

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Question 5 of 10

5. Your first roll is a 6 and a 4. How can you move these numbers? Hint

You can move one piece 4 spaces, then 6 spaces

All of the above

You can move one piece 6 spaces, then 4 spaces

You can split the two numbers, moving one piece 6 spaces and another piece 4 spaces

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Question 6 of 10

6. Your next roll, you roll two 4's. How would you move your checkers for this roll? Hint

Move a combination of 3 checkers 4 spaces each

You don't move any checkers, you lose your turn on doubles

Move a combination of 2 checkers 4 spaces each

Move a combination of 4 pieces 4 spaces each

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Question 7 of 10

7. You run into a problem. Your opponent has just bumped your checker to the middle bar. How do you get the checker off the middle bar? Hint

If you get a checker moved to the middle bar, you lose the game

You lose one turn, then your turn after you move your checker to your point 24

Roll the dice, provided that your opponent hasn't blocked it, you use one die to get on to your point 19-24

You can't move until you get all your checkers onto your point 1-6

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Question 8 of 10

8. In backgammon, how do the stones move on the board? Hint

Clockwise, starting from point 13 and working to point 12 and home

One person moves clockwise working to point 24 and home, one person moves counter-clockwise, working to point 1 and home

They move up and down starting at point 24 and ending at point 12 and home

They work up and down, starting at point 13 and ending at point 1 and home

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Question 9 of 10

9. What happens if you cannot move either dice numbers when you roll? Hint

You lose your turn

You move either one number higher or one number lower than the dice you rolled, provided you can move those numbers

You roll the dice until you can move

You have to move the closest checker to your home area onto the middle bar

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Question 10 of 10

10. How do you win at the game of backgammon? Hint

Get all of your opponents checkers onto the middle bar; once all your opponents pieces are on the middle bar, the game is over

There is no end to the game. You move around the board constantly until someone falls asleep.

Block your opponent from moving; once an opponent can't move the game is over

Move your checkers into the home area and bear off before your opponent

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. How many pieces, also called checkers, does each player have in backgammon?

Answer: 15

On a regular backgammon set, the checkers are round, smooth pieces with no designs on them. If you were like me, you learned on the back side of a checker board and used the red and black checkers used for the game of checkers.

2. Your pieces are set up on the point. What is a point in regards to the backgammon board?

Answer: One of the 24 triangles evenly spaced on the board for your pieces to land on

The points are numbered from 1 to 24. The number 1 point is at the right hand corner of where you sit if you are the person moving counter-clockwise. If you are moving clockwise, it is in your lower left hand corner. They are then numbered reverse of how you are moving. One person's number 1 point is the other person's number 24 point. In order to set up a standard game of backgammon, you must place 5 checkers on the number 6 point, 3 checkers on the number 8 point, 5 checkers on the number 13 point, and 2 checkers on the number 24 point.

There are various things in backgammon called a point. But for the purpose of this quiz, the points are the spaces.

3. The game of backgammon uses dice. How many dice are there in a complete, traditional backgammon set?

Answer: 4

You use 2 sets of standard 6 sided dice numbered 1 to 6 on each one. Each player has their own set of dice in the same color as their checkers. There is a fifth six sided die that is called the doubling cube. It has the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 on it. For this quiz we will skip the doubling cube.

4. You have your checkers set up and you have your dice ready to roll. Who goes first?

Answer: Both players roll one die. Whoever's number is highest goes first using the result just rolled.

As an illustration, one person rolls a 6 and the other person rolls a 3. The person who rolled a 6 would go first, having to move the 6 and the 3. In the event that the numbers are the same, i.e. 4 and 4, the two players would have to roll again.

5. Your first roll is a 6 and a 4. How can you move these numbers?

Answer: All of the above

You can move any of these combinations. The main rule is that you cannot move your piece into a spot occupied by two or more of your opponents pieces. You can, however, move your piece onto a space occupied by just one of your opponent's piece and bump them to the middle bar.

6. Your next roll, you roll two 4's. How would you move your checkers for this roll?

Answer: Move a combination of 4 pieces 4 spaces each

With doubles, you get to move any 4 checkers the amount shown on the dice. In the above scenario, you would move 4 spaces a total of 4 times. You can do with this one, two, three, or 4 checkers. Again, the same rule applies that you cannot land on a point that is occupied with 2 or more of your opponents checkers, but can land on a point that has just one of your opponents checkers, bumping him to the middle bar.

7. You run into a problem. Your opponent has just bumped your checker to the middle bar. How do you get the checker off the middle bar?

Answer: Roll the dice, provided that your opponent hasn't blocked it, you use one die to get on to your point 19-24

The middle bar is located in the middle of the backgammon board. A better way to describe where you set your piece is when you roll the dice, use one die number and set your checker on your opponent's point 1-6. For example, you roll a 5 and 4. You can set your checker on your opponent's point 4 or 5, provided that your opponent does not have two or more checkers on those points. You can use the other number that you did not use to move around the board.

8. In backgammon, how do the stones move on the board?

Answer: One person moves clockwise working to point 24 and home, one person moves counter-clockwise, working to point 1 and home

The main objective, of course, is you want to get the stones (pieces) around faster then your opponent does. When you move the stones, try to double them up to block your opponents way. Also doubling up keeps your opponent from bumping you to the middle bar.

It is said that backgammon is very dependent on luck. However, it takes some skill to move your stones and make it more difficult for your opponents to move around the board.

9. What happens if you cannot move either dice numbers when you roll?

Answer: You lose your turn

This can be really frustrating, especially if your opponent has a barrier set up against you. A barrier is when a player has 3 or more points blocked with their checkers. If your opponent as a 6 point barrier against you, don't plan on moving that checker for a bit.

10. How do you win at the game of backgammon?

Answer: Move your checkers into the home area and bear off before your opponent

Bearing off is to put your checker in the little cubby-like hole next to your point number 1. To bear your checker off, one of the dice number must be equal to or greater then the point number that a checker is on. If there is a checker on a point higher then the another checker, the lower numbered point that checker is on can only go in on an exact number.

For example, let us say you have two checkers on point 5 and one on point 3. You roll a 5 and a 4. You can move one checker off of point 5 into the bear off area. Because you still have one checker higher then your point 3 checker, you must move the higher checker 4. You cannot move your checker on point 3 in with the 4. You can only move your checkers into the bear off area after you have all 15 checkers on points 1-6.

Source: Author sladeninj

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ozzz2002 before going online.
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