Live backgammon online: bullet, blitz and rapid
Live backgammon means both players at the board at once, each with a clock running. Every game on BlitzBackgammon is played that way, and every opponent is a real person. You choose a clock, BlitzBackgammon finds someone who wants the same game at about your strength, usually within seconds, and the board opens for both of you together.
Free account · Browser, iOS and Android · 13+ · Coins have no cash value
Choose your clock
The clock decides what kind of game you get. There are three bands with four clocks each, every one with an increment.
Bullet: 1 to 2 minutes
Clocks: 1+3, 1+5, 2+3 and 2+5. A whole game in a minute or two, decided by how fast you read the dice as much as by your plan. You play each roll on instinct and take the safe, obvious move rather than the deepest one. Good for players who like fast decisions.
Blitz: 3 to 5 minutes
Clocks: 3+6, 3+8, 5+6 and 5+8. Enough time to have a plan, not enough to count every option. Opening moves and positions you already know carry you, and the clock still matters in the bear-off. A middle ground for players who want speed but also want to think.
Rapid: 7 to 10 minutes
Clocks: 7+10, 7+12, 10+10 and 10+12. Time to actually count pips and weigh a hit against a safe play, so the position matters more than the speed of your hand. A good place to start if fast backgammon is new to you.
What the increment changes
In 3+6, each player starts with three minutes and gets six seconds back after every turn. Every clock has an increment, so a player who keeps moving keeps some time and a long bear-off stays playable, however the game runs.
Live, and decided on the server
Both clocks run on our servers, the dice are rolled there, and every move and every coin movement is checked there too. Nothing is decided on your device, so a modified app cannot make an illegal move, pick its own dice or add time. A brief network drop does not cost you time you were not using.
A game ends when one player bears off all 15 checkers, by resignation, or by a clock reaching zero, and both players see the result at the same moment. There are no draws in backgammon. Your rating is kept separately for bullet, blitz and rapid.
Coins, briefly
Every game is a coin match. Both players put in the same number of coins, at least 10 each and never more than their balance. At 10 coins each there are 20 coins on the line: the winner gets them as the match reward. Gammon and backgammon are shown on the result. The winner always takes the pot.
Coins have no cash value and cannot be withdrawn or exchanged for money. Play responsibly. They cannot be transferred between accounts or exchanged for goods or services either.
Running low? The support page explains where new coins come from.
Questions
Are my opponents real people?
Yes, always. BlitzBackgammon has no bots and no engine opponents. Every game is against another person playing live.
Do I need an account?
Yes, a free one. Sign up with an email address in the browser or the app. BlitzBackgammon is 13+, or the minimum age in your country if that is higher. The game screens are in English.
Can I pick my opponent?
Yes. Instead of matchmaking you can challenge someone by username. See play backgammon with a friend online.
Keep reading
The full picture of how BlitzBackgammon works is on play backgammon online, and the support page covers the rest.