Nard

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

 

Setup:

Nard is the same as the modern game of backgammon but without the use of the doubling cube or extra moves when rolling doubles. Each player starts with 15 pieces placed on the points as shown. Players will be moving their pieces around the board in the directions indicated heading towards their inner table (the last six points, marked by the double circles on the diagram.)

Play:

Each player rolls two dice in turn and moves his pieces toward his inner table. Pieces may only be moved onto points that are empty, occupied by the same colored piece, or occupied by only one of the opponent's pieces. In the later case, the opponent's piece is removed from the board and returns to play when the opponent rolls a number that corresponds to an open point on the other player's inner table. The opponent cannot move any pieces until this piece is returned to play.

No pieces may be removed from the board until all of a player's pieces are in the inner table. Pieces are then removed from the points corresponding to the numbers rolled on the dice. If a point is empty and there are pieces on higher numbered points, the player may use the roll to move pieces to lower-numbered points, otherwise the pieces are removed from the highest numbered occupied point less than the roll. The first person to remove all their pieces from the board wins.