How to Play the Nackgammon Backgammon Variation

admin · Site Admin Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 862

There are an incredibly large number of variations on the game of backgammon. Some of them serve to make the game go faster, some make the game more difficult, some have the same rules but different set-up and some share nothing in common except for the board. One of these variations is Nackgammon.

Invented by Nack Ballard, a great backgammon champion from California, the game of Nackgammon is played with exactly the same rules as regular backgammon. The only differnence is the set-up. In this variant, each player removes a checker from their mid-point and six point and places those two checkers on their twenty-three point.

Nackammon games tend to be much more skillful, as players focus more on their backgame strategy and luck plays a less important factor. There are also no books on the subject to aid in strategy, so players must figure out strategic moves for themselves, as opposed to regular backgammon.

In Nackgammon, as with most backgames, the danger of losing with a gammon or backgammon is much higher. You have to make sure to get your checkers out of your opponent’s home board in enough time that you won’t lose too many points in the end of the game.

You can now play this and other backgammon variations online. Many backgammon servers are now offering variants of the game in order to give online players more options. All of these variations can be a lot of fun, so try them out and see which one you like best!