Backgammon has survived thousands of years of board game trends for a simple reason: the dice force a decision every single turn, and there’s always a case for playing it safe or going for the hit. We built a free browser version of that same core loop, called Point Race. Same 24-point board, same 15 checkers a side, same real dice, played against an AI that actually plans ahead. Nothing to install, nothing to sign up for.
Play Point Race now
Tap a checker, then tap a highlighted point to move it. Best played with sound on so you can hear a hit land.
How to play
The rules are the real thing. Roll two dice, move your checkers around the board in your direction, and land two or more on a point to claim it as blocked. Land alone on a point and you’re a blot, open to being hit and sent to the bar, where you have to re-enter before making any other move. Roll doubles and you get four moves at that number instead of two. Once all 15 of your checkers are home, you can start bearing them off, and the first side to bear off all 15 wins the game.
On touch, tap a checker to select it, then tap one of the highlighted points to move there; tap the Bear off button once every checker is home and a die allows it. On desktop, click the same way or drag a checker straight to its destination. A full game runs longer than a quick arcade round, and that’s the point: restart is one tap away the moment it ends, with fresh dice every time. Your day streak, win streak, and best streak are tracked at the top and saved on your device only.
How it compares to Backgammon
Point Race plays the complete ruleset: standard starting position, mandatory bar re-entry, blocked points, hitting, doubles, and the full bear-off logic including the rule that lets you bear off with an overshoot roll once no checker sits further back. The AI opponent isn’t a coin flip either. It weighs blot exposure, favors making points, goes for a hit when one is available, and races home when it can, so a careless move actually gets punished.
What it leaves out is everything around the match itself. The full Backgammon app adds tournaments, a doubling cube, online play against other people, difficulty levels, and stats that follow your account across devices. None of that belongs in a page meant to load in a couple of seconds and stay out of your way, so we kept this to one honest game against the computer.
Play here when you want a real match right now, with no account and nothing to configure. Reach for the full app when you want the doubling cube, ranked online opponents, or a longer-term record of your play.
Get the full app
Backgammon by AI Factory is a well-known, free implementation of the classic game with online multiplayer, a doubling cube, and adjustable difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play backgammon online for free?
Yes. The board above is a complete, free game you can play right now in any modern browser, on a phone or a laptop, with no download and no account required.
Is this the official Backgammon app?
No. Point Race is an original implementation of the public-domain game of backgammon, built by our team using the standard ruleset. It isn’t affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any specific Backgammon app publisher. The download link above points to AI Factory’s Backgammon app if you want the full version with a doubling cube and online opponents.
Does the game use real dice, or is it rigged?
The dice are genuinely random on every roll and every game, just like a physical set. We didn’t seed or fix them, since that would feel wrong against a live opponent. What’s saved on your device is your day streak and win streak, not the dice themselves.
Can I play against a friend instead of the AI?
This browser version is built for one player against the computer. If you want a match against another person, the full Backgammon app linked above supports online play against real opponents.
Does it work offline and without signing up?
Yes. Once the page loads, there’s nothing left to install or sign into. Your streaks and stats live in your browser’s local storage, not on a server, so nothing about how you play leaves your device.
