LUSITANO RETREAT — Backgammon
Modern international game with older West Asian ancestors
Players: 2
CHOSEN VERSION: Beginner single games without doubling cube or gambling; formal match rules are optional later.

EQUIPMENT
1. 24-point board and bar
2. 15 checkers each; two dice and cups

SETUP
1. From your own numbering, place 2 checkers on point 24, 5 on 13, 3 on 8 and 5 on 6. Opponent mirrors you and travels the other way. Each rolls one die; higher starts using both opening numbers; ties reroll.

HOW TO PLAY
1. Roll two dice and move toward your point 1. Treat each die as a separate move; one checker may use both if the intermediate landing is legal. Doubles give four moves of that value.
2. Land on an empty point, your own checkers, or one opposing checker. A lone opponent is hit onto the bar; two or more opponents block the point.
3. Enter all your bar checkers first through the opponent home board using dice; blocked entries cannot be played. Use both dice if possible; if only one can be used, use the higher when either is playable.
4. Once all 15 are in your home points 1–6, bear off using exact dice. A higher die can remove from your highest occupied point only when no checker lies higher. If hit, re-enter and bring it home before bearing off again.

SCORING
1. First teaching games use one point per win. Formal scoring adds gammons/backgammons, cube and match rules.

WINNING: Bear off all 15 first.

AT THE RETREAT
Use contrasting large checkers and a rolling tray to reduce dropped dice.

SOURCES
UK Backgammon Federation — resources — https://ukbgf.com/backgammon-resources/
Federation beginner introduction and current tournament-rule links.
US Backgammon Federation — Chris Bray beginner guide — https://usbgf.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Beginners-Guide-to-Backgammon.pdf
Federation-hosted original teaching guide: setup, movement, hitting, re-entry, doubles and bearing off.

https://lusitanoretreat.com/build-guides/world-games/#game-backgammon