Bearoff

How to play Bearoff

Win a match to 3 points

Roll two dice and move a checker by each number; doubles play four times. You may not land on a point your rival holds with two or more checkers; land on a lone one and it goes to the bar, and a checker on the bar must come back in through the rival's home board before anything else moves. Use both dice when you can, otherwise the higher. With every checker home you may bear off. A game is worth the cube: double for a gammon (the loser has borne off nothing), triple for a backgammon (the loser also has a checker on the bar or in the winner's home). Before rolling you may double the stakes; your rival takes and owns the cube, or drops and gives up the game. The game after either player reaches 2 points has no doubling. First to 3 points wins the match.