Play backgammon against the computer
Three levels from beginner-friendly to genuinely strong, with hints and undo when you want them. Free in your browser, no download and no account needed.
Pick a level and roll. It runs in your browser on desktop and mobile.
Start a game
Open the game, choose vs computer, pick a level and a match length, and roll. Movable checkers are highlighted and every legal destination is marked, so you can play by tapping or dragging without worrying about illegal moves. You can also turn on automatic passing when you have no legal move and automatic bear-off for the end of a race.
New to backgammon? Read how to play first; it takes about ten minutes. Then try a few games on Easy with hints on.
Three levels
Easy
A relaxed opponent that makes mistakes you can learn to exploit. Good for learning the rules and trying ideas.
Medium
A tougher opponent that takes its chances when you leave them. A fair fight for many casual players.
Hard
Uses an opening book and a two-ply search with a trained neural network. It plays strong, positional backgammon and handles the cube well.
The Hard level is built on the same ideas that made computers so strong at backgammon: a neural network that learned by playing itself, as TD-Gammon famously did in the early 1990s (see the history of backgammon). For the first moves it plays from an opening book. After that it looks two plies ahead, considering your possible replies, and judges the resulting positions with the network.
Losing to Hard is normal at first. Backgammon has a lot of luck in each game, so judge your progress over many games, not one.
Hints, undo and pip counts
- Hints. Ask the engine for its suggested play whenever you are unsure. Compare it with your own choice and try to work out why it prefers its move.
- Undo. Take back moves within your turn before you finish it, so a slip of the finger never costs you a game.
- Pip counts. Show both players' pip counts next to the board, and check your own counting. Our pip counting guide shows how to count fast.
- Point numbers. Show the numbers 1 to 24 around the board, which makes it easy to follow notation and the opening guide.
Matches and the cube
Play a single game or a match to 3, 5, 10 or 15 points. With the doubling cube on, you and the computer can double, take and drop just as in real play, and gammons and backgammons count double and triple. The Crawford rule applies in matches: when someone first gets within one point of winning, the next game is played without the cube.
If cube decisions are new to you, read the doubling cube guide and the match play page. You can also turn the cube off and concentrate on the checkers.
Challenges and the daily challenge
The 24 challenges form a ladder in four tiers that unlock in order. Each one sets the opponent's level and the match length, and many add a condition, such as winning by a gammon, winning several games in a row, playing without the cube, or beating a time limit on your own thinking clock. You earn up to three stars for each: one for completing it, one for winning by a clear margin, and one for winning a gammon.
The daily challenge is one game against the Hard level in which everyone gets the same dice that day. That makes it a fair comparison: you and your friends face exactly the same rolls, so the difference comes down to how you play them.
Pass and play, keyboard shortcuts
Pass and play lets two people share one device, taking turns. It is handy at the table with a friend, or for setting up positions and trying both sides. To play a friend on another device, see play online.
On a desktop, the keyboard makes play faster:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Roll the dice |
| D | Offer a double |
| U | Undo your last move this turn |
| H | Show a hint |
Want to get better between games? The strategy guide and the odds page are the next steps, and the Learn hub lists everything.
Easy, Medium or Hard. Single games or matches, with the cube.
Questions
Is it free to play backgammon against the computer?
Yes. Backgammon Lounge is free to play in your browser with no download or account. The web version shows ads.
How strong is the Hard computer?
Hard combines an opening book with a two-ply search using a neural network trained by self-play. It is the strongest of the three levels and a real test, though, like any backgammon player, it can lose to good dice.
Can I play a match with the doubling cube?
Yes. Choose a single game or a match to 3, 5, 10 or 15 points. The cube is available, and the Crawford rule applies in matches as it does in tournaments.
Do I need an internet connection?
You need one to load the game. Games against the computer run in your browser, so they do not depend on a server while you play.
Ready to roll? Play the computer or a friend, free in your browser.
Play backgammon