Bearing off is the final phase of every backgammon game — and the one that decides who wins. Once all 15 of your checkers are in your home board, you begin removing them from the board one by one. The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins.
It sounds simple. But bearing off has more rules, edge cases, and strategic decisions than most beginners expect. This guide covers everything you need to know.
What Is Bearing Off?
Bearing off means removing your checkers from the board entirely. You do this by rolling the dice and removing checkers from the corresponding points in your home board (points 1–6).
The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins the game.
When Can You Start Bearing Off?
You can only begin bearing off when all 15 of your checkers are in your home board — points 1 through 6.
If even one checker is still in your outer board, your opponent’s home board, or on the bar, you cannot bear off at all. You must first bring that checker into your home board before bearing off begins.
This applies even during the bearing-off phase — if one of your checkers gets hit and sent to the bar, you must re-enter it and bring it all the way back to your home board before you can continue bearing off.
The Basic Bearing Off Rules
Rule 1 — Use the exact number when possible
Roll the exact number shown on the die to remove a checker from that point.
Example: You roll a 3. You have a checker on your 3-point. Remove it from the board.
Rule 2 — No checker on the exact point? Move down
If there is no checker on the point matching your roll, you must move a checker from a higher-numbered point toward a lower one. You cannot bear off from a lower point just because the exact point is empty.
Example: You roll a 4. You have no checker on the 4-point, but you have checkers on the 5-point and 6-point. Move one checker from the 5-point to the 1-point, or from the 6-point to the 2-point.
Rule 3 — Roll higher than any occupied point? Bear off from the highest
If your roll is higher than any point you currently occupy, you may bear off a checker from your highest occupied point.
Example: You roll a 6. Your highest checker is on the 4-point. You bear off the checker from the 4-point.
Rule 4 — Legal moves inside the home board take priority
If you can make a legal move inside your home board, you may be required to do so rather than bearing off. This applies when a move is available that uses the exact die number on an occupied point.
Example: You roll a 3 and have checkers on both the 3-point and the 1-point. You must remove the checker from the 3-point using the 3 — you cannot choose to move the 3-point checker to the 0-point and ignore the exact match.
What Happens If You Get Hit During Bearing Off?
If your opponent hits one of your blots during the bearing-off phase, that checker goes to the bar — and you must stop bearing off immediately.
You must:
- Re-enter the checker from the bar into your opponent’s home board
- Move it all the way around the board and back into your own home board
- Only then can you resume bearing off
This is one of the most punishing situations in backgammon. Leaving blots during the bear-off phase can completely reverse the result of a game you appeared to be winning.
Bearing Off Strategy
Avoid leaving blots
The most important strategic principle during bearing off is to avoid leaving single checkers on any point. If your opponent still has checkers in play, a blot can be hit and send you back dramatically.
When possible, bear off in a way that keeps at least two checkers on every occupied point.
Clear higher points first
In a pure race (no contact), your goal is to bear off as efficiently as possible. Prioritise clearing checkers from your higher points (6-point, 5-point) because they contribute the most to your pip count and take the most rolls to remove.
Example: If you have 3 checkers on the 6-point and 1 on the 1-point, rolling double 6 removes all three from the 6-point in one turn — far more efficient than spreading rolls across multiple points.
Maximise each roll
Try to use both dice productively on every turn. Wasted pips (rolls where you can’t move as many points as you rolled) slow you down in a race.
When bearing off, aim to arrange your checkers so that as many rolls as possible let you remove two checkers per turn rather than one.
The pip count still matters
Even during bearing off, your pip count tells you whether you are ahead or behind in the race. If you are 10% or more ahead, consider offering a double. If you are behind, think carefully before accepting one.
👉 Full guide: The Pip Count explained
Bearing Off and Scoring
How you bear off affects how many points the winner earns:
| Result | Condition | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Normal win | Opponent has borne off at least one checker | 1 point |
| Gammon | Opponent has not borne off any checkers | 2 points |
| Backgammon | Opponent has not borne off any checkers AND still has a checker on the bar or in your home board | 3 points |
If you are well ahead and your opponent has not borne off any checkers yet, you may be playing for a gammon. This affects how you play — for example, avoiding doubling too early so the game continues and you can lock in the gammon win.
Common Bearing Off Mistakes
1. Trying to bear off too early. You cannot bear off until all 15 checkers are in your home board. Attempting to do so before that is illegal.
2. Bearing off from the wrong point. When you have a checker on the exact point rolled, you must remove it. You cannot choose to move it inside the home board instead.
3. Leaving blots unnecessarily. Many players bear off quickly without thinking about the arrangement of remaining checkers. If your opponent can still hit you, every blot is a risk.
4. Ignoring a legal home board move. When you roll a number and have a checker on that exact point, you must bear it off. But if you roll a number higher than all occupied points, check carefully — you must bear off from the highest occupied point, not just any point.
5. Forgetting to re-enter after being hit. If you get hit during bearing off, you must re-enter and return to your home board before resuming. Trying to continue bearing off while a checker is on the bar is illegal.
6. Not using the doubling cube. If you are clearly ahead in the race and bearing off efficiently, the cube is a powerful weapon. Many beginners forget to offer a double when they are in a strong position during the bear-off.
Free Printable
🎲 Backgammon Bearing Off Quick Reference — Free Download
Keep the bearing off rules beside you while you play. This free 3-page printable covers movement, the bar, bearing off, scoring, and the doubling cube — everything you need in one place.
Download Free →Bearing Off Example — Step by Step
You are bearing off. Your home board position:
- 6-point: 2 checkers
- 4-point: 3 checkers
- 2-point: 1 checker
You roll 5 and 3.
- The 5: No checker on the 5-point. Your highest occupied point below 5 is the 4-point. Move a checker from the 4-point to the 1-point (moving 3 pips, not bearing off — because 5 is not higher than your highest occupied point of 6).
Wait — actually you have checkers on the 6-point which is higher than 5. So the 5 cannot be used to bear off from the 4-point. You must move a checker from the 6-point to the 1-point (6 minus 5 = 1).
- The 3: No checker on the 3-point. Move one checker from the 4-point to the 1-point (4 minus 3 = 1).
This is why bearing off requires attention — the rules interact in ways that aren’t always obvious.
Quick Reference — Bearing Off Rules
- All 15 checkers must be in your home board before you start
- Roll the exact number to remove from that point
- No checker on the exact point → move a checker from a higher point downward
- Roll higher than all occupied points → bear off from the highest occupied point
- If hit during bearing off → re-enter and return to home board before resuming
- Both dice must be used if legally possible