Moultezim

Moultezim has been popular in Turkey for centuries, where it is played in addition to standard backgammon. In Greece a similar version of Moultezim is played under the name of Fevga.

The players start with fifteen checkers on the rightmost point of the far side of the board, diagonally opposite from one another. Checkers are moved in the same direction, counterclockwise, around the board.

The object of the game is for the players to move all their checkers around the board and bear them off. White bears off at the lower-right; Black bears off at the upper-left. To start, the players roll one die, with the higher number going first. Whichever player gets the high number rolls both dice again to begin his turn.

The roll of the dice decides how many points/pips the player can move his checkers. The following rules apply:

1) A checker can be only be moved to an open point, one unoccupied by any opposing checkers.
2) The numbers on the dice constitute separate moves. For example, if a player rolls 4 and 2, he may move one checker four spaces to an open point and another checker two spaces to an open point, or he can move one checker a total of six spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point is also open.
3) Doubles are played twice. This means a roll of 3-3 means a player has four threes at his disposal.
4) Players must use both numbers of a roll if possible, or all four numbers in the case of doubles. If a player can only play one number but not both, it must be the higher one.

Unlike backgammon, in Moultezim the player's first checker must pass the opponent's starting point before he can move any of his other checkers. This is called "the first checker away".

Another, more significant difference between Moultezim and other forms of backgammon is that no hitting is allowed. A solitary checker controls a point, and an opposing checker may not land and/or touch down there.

It is also forbidden to occupy more than four points in an opponent's starting table. This keeps players on either side from forming a prime directly in front of their opponent's starting pile.

Once players have moved all fifteen checkers into their finishing table, they can begin bearing off. Players bear off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which it resides, then removing the checker from the board.

If there is no checker on the point indicated, players must make a legal move using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no such checkers, players must remove a checker from the highest point that does possess one. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game and scores one point. If the winner bears off all his checkers before the loser has borne off any, he receives two points.