Portes rules

The classic backgammon game — hit, block and race home.

Rule 1 of 6

Goal & start

Collect all 15 checkers before your opponent. You start with 2 on point 1, 5 on point 12, 3 on point 17 and 5 on point 19. Your opponent mirrors you and goes round the other way.

Rule 2 of 6

Closed points

Two or more checkers close a point: your opponent can't land there. Build several in a row to make a wall that's hard to get past.

Rule 3 of 6

Hitting

Land on a lone opposing checker to hit it. It goes to the bar in the middle of the board and has to start its journey again.

Rule 4 of 6

Back from the bar

A hit checker must come back in before anything else moves. It enters on your points 1–6, your opponent's home quarter: a 3 enters on point 3, if that point isn't closed.

Rule 5 of 6

Closed out

If all six of those points are closed, you're closed out: your turns are skipped, without rolling, until a point opens.

Rule 6 of 6

Collecting & winning

Once all 15 are in your home quarter, collect them (bear off). A win is 1 point, or 2 if your opponent collected none. Dice, doubles and who starts: What is Tavli.

Play Portes now

Created by Dimitris for all the Tavli fans out there