The board has 24 narrow triangles called points, alternating in two colours and grouped into four quadrants of six. Each player has 15 checkers of their colour.
Standard starting position (same for both rulesets):
- 2 checkers on your 24-point (opponent's 1-point)
- 5 checkers on your 13-point (opponent's 12-point)
- 3 checkers on your 8-point
- 5 checkers on your 6-point
The doubling cube starts off the board and shows 64 face-up (or centred), indicating it is "in the middle" available to either player.
Move all 15 of your checkers around the board in your direction of play and bear them all off before your opponent does. The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins.
The two players move in opposite directions. One moves checkers from higher-numbered to lower-numbered points (24→1); the other moves in the reverse direction. Your home board is points 1–6, and your outer board is points 7–12.
To determine who goes first, each player rolls one die. Higher number goes first; re-roll on ties. The first player uses both rolled dice for their opening move (they do not re-roll).
- On your turn, roll both dice and move checkers forward (in your direction) by the number shown on each die — separately or combined.
- A checker may only land on a point that is open: either empty, containing your own checker(s), or containing exactly one opponent checker (a blot).
- You must use both dice if legally possible. If you can only use one, you must use the higher of the two numbers if possible.
- Doubles: rolling the same number on both dice grants four moves of that number — e.g. rolling 4-4 means four moves of 4 pips each. All four moves must be used if legally possible.
A single opponent checker on a point is called a blot. When you land on a blot, it is hit — that checker is removed from the point and placed on the bar (the divider in the middle of the board).
Entering from the bar: A player with checkers on the bar must enter all of them before moving any other checkers. Enter by rolling a number corresponding to an open point in the opponent's home board (points 1–6 from the opponent's perspective). If you cannot enter (all six points are blocked by 2+ opponent checkers), you forfeit your turn.
Once all 15 of your checkers are within your home board (points 1–6), you may begin bearing off.
- Roll the dice. Remove a checker from the exact point matching a die number.
- If there is no checker on the rolled point, you must move a checker forward from a higher point if possible.
- If no checker is on a higher point either, remove the checker on the highest occupied point.
- If you are hit during bear-off, you must re-enter that checker and bring it all the way back home before continuing to bear off.
The doubling cube is a special die labelled 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. It multiplies the stakes of the game. In match play it multiplies the number of match points at risk.
- Offering a double: Before rolling, either player may offer to double the stakes by placing the cube at the relevant number facing the opponent. The cube must be unowned (centred) or owned by you to double.
- Accepting (Take): The opponent accepts the double. Play continues at the doubled stake. The accepting player now owns the cube and is the only one who may activate the next double.
- Refusing (Pass / Drop): The opponent declines — they concede the game and lose 1× the current stake (before doubling). The game ends immediately.
- Cube ownership: After a take, only the player who took the double can initiate the next double (called a redouble).
| Result | Condition | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Single win | Opponent has borne off at least one checker | 1 × cube |
| Gammon | Opponent has borne off no checkers | 2 × cube |
| Backgammon | Opponent has no checkers off and has a checker on the bar or in your home board | 3 × cube |
In match play, these values are multiplied by the face value of the doubling cube at the time the game ends.
Crawford Rule (standard in all competitive matches): The game immediately after one player reaches match point (one point away from winning) is the Crawford game. No doubling cube is allowed in the Crawford game — it removes the automatic-double tactic.
Post-Crawford: In all games after the Crawford game, the doubling cube is back in play. The trailing player usually doubles immediately on their first turn, since they have nothing to lose by making the game worth more.
These rules apply only in money games (not tournament match play) unless both players pre-agree.
- Jacoby Rule: Gammons and backgammons count at their full value only if the cube has been turned during the game. If neither player doubled, the winner collects just 1 point regardless of how badly they won. This speeds up money sessions.
- Beavers: When offered a double, the player being doubled may immediately beaver — accept the double and re-double to the next cube level, while retaining ownership of the cube. Example: cubed to 2, beaver to 4.
- Automatic Doubles: If both players roll the same number on the opening roll (to determine first move), the cube is automatically turned to 2. Some games allow multiple automatic doubles.
Major international tournaments use chess clocks to ensure fair play speed. Time formats vary by event.
- Time bank: Typically 10–15 minutes per player for the entire match.
- Delay: A 2-second delay per move — your bank only counts down after you have used 2 seconds of thinking time.
- Flag fall: When your clock reaches 0:00, your flag falls. You immediately lose 2 match points (or lose the match, depending on TD rules).
- Clock etiquette: Press the clock only after completing all moves for your roll — not mid-move.
- Each completed move adds 5–12 seconds back to your clock (increment, not delay).
- Starting allotment varies — commonly 6–10 minutes per player.
- Popular in European Open events for ensuring more consistent time distribution.
Always confirm which format is being used at your event — it should be listed in the tournament announcement.
- Dice must land flat in your own half of the board (right side from your perspective). If a die is cocked (tilted), it must be re-rolled.
- Illegal move: If you complete your turn and your opponent immediately calls an illegal move, the position must be corrected. Once your opponent rolls, the move stands.
- Touching checkers: You must complete the move for any checker you touch before moving another. If you set a checker down, it is placed and the move stands.
- Premature roll: Rolling before the opponent has completed their turn is a prematurity. The opponent may ask for a re-roll.
- Clock — missed press: Failing to press the clock is a slow-play infraction. TD may issue a warning or deduct time.
- Device usage: No electronic analysis tools (apps, computers) during play. Penalty: game forfeiture or match forfeiture at TD discretion.
Same 24-point board and 15 checkers per player. No doubling cube is used in traditional Nard. Stakes are agreed before the game begins.
The starting position is identical to modern rules: 2-5-3-5 arrangement on the 24, 13, 8, and 6 points. Direction of play is also the same.
Movement follows the same core rules as modern backgammon: roll both dice, move forward, use both dice if possible, and move the higher die if only one can be used.
Doubles give four moves of that number — same as modern rules.
Neshast (نشست) — Forced pass: If a player has checkers on the board but cannot make any legal move with either die, they forfeit their entire turn. This is rare but can happen in heavily blocked positions.
Hitting and entering from the bar work the same as modern rules — land on a blot to hit it; enter from the bar before making any other moves.
Bearing-off rules are the same as modern backgammon — all 15 checkers must be in the home board (points 1–6) to begin. If a checker is hit and sent to the bar during bear-off, you must re-enter it and bring it back to the home board before continuing.
Traditional Nard does not use the doubling cube. Stakes are a fixed amount agreed before the game. This is one of the most fundamental differences from modern backgammon — the entire cube strategy concept is absent.
In informal sessions, some players agree on a flat stake per game, or track a "points" tally across multiple games without the cube's escalation mechanic.
| Result | Condition | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Regular win | Opponent has borne off at least one checker | 1 point |
| Mars (مارس) | Opponent has borne off no checkers (= Gammon) | 2 points |
| Super-Mars | Opponent has no checkers off and has a checker on the bar or in your home (= Backgammon) | 3 points |
Shish-Beesh (ششبیش) — "Six-Five": A widely-played variant where rolling 6-5 on the opening roll is considered a special roll. In some traditions the player rolling 6-5 automatically wins the right to go first; in others, rolling 6-5 is the strongest possible opening. Confirm local custom before play.
Takht-e Nard Variant: Some regional rules specify that on the very first move of the game, a player forced to pass (because their move would create a triple-stack when one stack is sufficient) must use only the available move. This is a minor local refinement rarely seen outside informal play.
Aziz position: In certain communities a "royal backgammon" concept exists — winning when the opponent has all 15 checkers on the bar — worth 4 or 5 points. Informal only; not a federation rule.
| Feature | Modern (USBGF/IBF) | Iranian Traditional |
|---|---|---|
| Doubling cube | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Crawford rule | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Gammon = 2× | ✓ Yes (Mars) | ✓ Yes (Mars) |
| Backgammon = 3× | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes (Super-Mars) |
| Mandatory hitting | ✗ Optional | ✓ Often required |
| Jacoby rule | Money games only | ✗ N/A |
| Beavers | Money games only | ✗ N/A |
| Tourney clock | ✓ Widely used | ✓ Federation events |
- Time bank: Typically 10 minutes per player for a game (not per move).
- Delay: 5-second delay per move — clock only counts down after 5 seconds of inaction.
- First violation (flag fall): 1 point deducted from the offending player's score.
- Second violation in same match: 2 points deducted.
- Third violation: Match forfeiture — the TD awards the match to the opponent.
- Rolling area: Dice must be rolled into the right half of the board from your perspective. A die that leaves the board or lands cocked must be re-rolled.
- Reading dice: Both dice must be read and all moves completed before pressing the clock.
- Disputes: Stop play, call the Tournament Director. Do not move checkers until the TD has examined the position.
- TD ruling: The director's decision is final. Appeals must be made within 5 minutes of the ruling; the TD may refer serious disputes to a chief arbiter.
- Electronic devices: No analysis tools during play. Phones must be face-down and silenced at the table.