Est. 2026 · Derby, England
Where the dice fall in Derby
A friendly club for players of all levels — from complete beginners to seasoned competitors. Join us for an evening of strategy, skill, and good company.
One of the world's oldest board games
Backgammon combines strategy, skill, and just the right amount of luck. Whether you've never played or you've been rolling dice for years, you'll find a warm welcome at Derby Backgammon Club.
Current Standings
Updated weekly after each Tuesday session.
About Derby Backgammon Club
Derby Backgammon Club was founded in 2026 to bring together players from across the city and surrounding area who share a passion for one of the world's oldest and most enduring board games.
We meet at 7pm every Tuesday evening at the Spondon Old School — a welcoming venue in the heart of Spondon, well suited to an evening of focused play, friendly rivalry, and good conversation.
Whether you've been playing for years or you've never touched a backgammon board, you'll find a warm welcome here. Experienced members are always happy to sit down with newcomers and walk through the rules.
The club has close ties with Nottingham Backgammon Club, one of the region's most established clubs, and members are encouraged to take part in events and tournaments across the UK.
Derby Backgammon Club is affiliated with the UK Backgammon Federation (UKBGF), the national governing body for the sport in the United Kingdom.
At a glance
Everything you need to know before your first visit.
- DayTuesday evenings, 7pm onwards
- VenueSpondon Old School
Chapel Street, Spondon
Derby DE21 7JR - CostFirst visit free, then £1–2 per session
- LevelAll abilities welcome
- BoardsIf you have a board, please bring it along — a limited number are available at the venue
- ParkingFree dedicated car park located around the back of the building, including disabled parking spaces.
"The best way to learn backgammon is to play it."
Come along, sit down, and roll the dice. That's all it takes.
How to play backgammon
Backgammon is a two-player board game combining strategy, skill, and an element of chance. The aim is simple: move all your checkers around the board and bear them off before your opponent does.
A few common terms
A handful of words come up constantly once you start playing — worth knowing before the setup and rules below make full use of them.
- Checker — the playing pieces (15 per player)
- Point — one of the 24 triangles on the board
- Home board — the final six points a player must gather all checkers into before bearing off
- Blot — a single, unprotected checker on a point
- Pip count — the total number of points a player must move their checkers to bear them all off; useful for judging who's ahead in a race
Setting up the board
The standard starting position — each player has 15 checkers arranged as shown above. Each player moves their checkers towards their own shaded home board, then bears off in the direction shown by the matching arrow on the right.
Each player has 15 checkers of their own colour. At the start of the game they're arranged in the exact pattern shown in the diagram:
- 2 checkers on your 24-point (the point furthest from your home board)
- 5 checkers on your 13-point
- 3 checkers on your 8-point
- 5 checkers on your 6-point
Both players set up identically, mirrored across the board — so the position always looks symmetrical once you're done. Don't worry about memorising this straight away; at the club, someone will always help you set the board up correctly for your first few visits.
Deciding who goes first
Before the first move, each player rolls a single die. Whoever rolls the higher number goes first — and crucially, the opening move uses both of those two numbers, one from each player's roll, rather than rolling fresh dice.
For example, if you roll a 5 and your opponent rolls a 3, you go first and play your opening move as a 5 and a 3 — exactly as if you'd rolled them together.
If both players roll the same number, it's a tie — simply roll again until someone comes out ahead.
Once the board's set up and you know who's going first, here's the rest of the game.
Moving
Each player rolls two dice and moves their checkers the corresponding number of points — always towards their home board. You can split the roll between two checkers or use both on one.
Hitting & entering
A point with just one checker is a blot. If your opponent lands on it, that checker is hit and placed on the bar. It must re-enter play before any other move can be made — and it always re-enters into the opponent's home board (the far end of the board from where it started), using the number from a normal dice roll. For example, rolling a 3 lets it enter on the opponent's 3-point. If that point is blocked by two or more of the opponent's checkers, it can't enter there and must wait for a usable number.
Blocking
Two or more checkers on a point block your opponent from landing there. A run of consecutive blocked points — a prime — is one of backgammon's most powerful weapons.
Bearing off
Once all 15 checkers are in your home board, you can begin bearing them off. The first player to remove all their checkers wins the game.
The doubling cube
At any point a player may offer to double the stakes. The opponent can accept or concede. This adds a thrilling layer of strategy and psychological pressure to every game.
Ready to give it a go?
Advanced Tips
Once you're comfortable with the basics, these are some of the ideas that separate a casual game from a strong one. A good way to use this page: after a session where something new came up, click in here to refresh your memory before the next Tuesday.
Looking for more? The UK Backgammon Federation offers coaching articles and resources for players at every level, reflecting how the game is played here in the UK.
League
Quarterly Divisions
Total points = (Games Played × 1) + (Wins × 2)
Click a division name to view individual results and upcoming fixtures.
Tournaments
Tournament details coming soon
Details of Derby Backgammon Club's first tournament will be announced here shortly.
In the meantime, check the UK Backgammon Federation for national and regional events.
Playing beyond Derby
As a club affiliated with the UKBGF, members are encouraged to take part in regional and national events. The East Midlands has a thriving backgammon scene, with regular tournaments at Nottingham Backgammon Club and major national events throughout the year.
Find us
Spondon Old School
Chapel Street, Spondon
Derby DE21 7JR
Starting June 2026 — all welcome
First visit free, then £1–2 per session
Spondon Old School · Chapel Street · Spondon · Derby DE21 7JR
Spondon is a suburb of Derby with good road and bus links from the city centre. Spondon Old School features its own dedicated car park around the back of the building with free parking for all attendees, including designated disabled parking bays.
Not sure if the club is for you? Come along any Tuesday and try a game — no booking required, no obligation. Your first visit is completely free.
Useful links
One of the East Midlands' most established backgammon clubs, based at Nottingham. Regular club nights, multiple league divisions, and an annual open tournament — the Robin Hood Open.
The national governing body for backgammon in the United Kingdom. Organises tournaments and rankings, and supports clubs across the country.
Contact us
Whether you have a question before your first visit, want to find out more about the club, or are interested in arranging a group visit, we'd love to hear from you.
Spondon, Derby DE21 7JR
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