The Pin Game

The Pin Game is similar to the Greek game Plakoto, in which checkers are trapped rather than hit. No doubling cube is used in the Pin Game.

Setup: Unlike backgammon, each player starts with thirteen checkers on the opponent's one-point, and one checker of each of the opponent's eight-point and ten-point. The checkers move in opposite directions.

Object: The object is to bring all of the checkers around to your own home board and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins the game.

To start: Each player rolls one die and the higher number goes first. Unlike backgammon, that player then rolls both dice again to begin his first turn.

Movement: The roll of the dice indicates how many points/pips the player is to move his checkers. The following rules apply:

A checker can only be moved to an unoccupied point.

The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves. For example, a player rolls 4 and 3, they can move one checker four spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or they can move one checker seven spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point is also open.

Doubles are played twice.

Players must use both numbers of a roll if possible, or all four numbers in the case of doubles. If they can only play one number it must play the higher one.