How to Set Up a Backgammon Board
Nov 7, 2026 · The Editors
How to set up a backgammon board step by step: the points and the bar, which way you move, where the 15 checkers go (2-5-3-5), the dice and the doubling cube — and how to check you have it right.
A backgammon board looks confusing until you see that each player's checkers make the same pattern. Learn the numbers 2, 5, 3, 5 and you can set it up in a minute.
The board
- 24 long triangles, called points, in four quarters of six.
- The raised strip down the middle is the bar.
- Each player has a home board (where their checkers finish) and an outer board.
Number the points from your side
Number the points 1 to 24 from your own point of view, starting with the point in the corner of your home board:
- Points 1–6: your home board.
- Points 7–12: your outer board.
- Points 13–24: your opponent's side, ending at your 24-point in the far corner.
Your checkers travel from your 24-point towards your 1-point and then bear off. Your opponent numbers the board the same way from their side, and moves in the opposite direction.
The home boards can be on the left or the right — the game is the same either way. Both players' home boards are on the same side of the board, opposite each other.
Where the 15 checkers go
Each player has 15 checkers. Place them:
| Your point | Checkers | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | 2 | The far corner — your opponent's home board |
| 13 | 5 | The "midpoint" — the far corner of your opponent's outer board |
| 8 | 3 | Your outer board, two points from the bar |
| 6 | 5 | Your home board, next to the bar |
2 + 5 + 3 + 5 = 15. Your opponent sets up the mirror image.
Check it's right
Look along the edge of the board nearest you. Starting from the corner of your home board, you should see:
- 2 of your opponent's checkers in the corner — your 1-point, their 24-point.
- 5 of yours on your 6-point, beside the bar.
- 3 of yours on your 8-point, just across the bar.
- 5 of your opponent's in the far corner — your 12-point, their midpoint.
Your opponent sees exactly the same pattern from their side, colours swapped.
Dice and the cube
- Each player has two dice and a cup.
- The doubling cube — marked 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 — starts on the bar with 64 facing up, meaning the stakes are 1.
Starting the game
Each player rolls one die. The higher roll goes first, using both numbers rolled. After that, players roll two dice each turn.
Ready to play? How to play backgammon.
