Tavla is the Turkish name for backgammon and one of the most widely played board games in Turkey, where it is a fixture of daily life — played in cafes, tea houses, clubs, and homes across the country. The word tavla simply means “board” in Turkish.
While Tavla and standard backgammon share the same board, checkers, and basic objective, there are several important rule differences that make Tavla its own game. If you already know backgammon, you can learn Tavla quickly. If you are new to both, this guide covers everything you need to start playing.
Equipment
Tavla uses the same equipment as standard backgammon:
- A standard backgammon board with 24 points
- 15 checkers per player in two different colours
- 2 dice (rolled by hand in traditional Turkish play — no dice cup required)
- No doubling cube is used in traditional Tavla
The absence of the doubling cube is one of the most significant practical differences from Western backgammon.
Objective
The objective is the same as backgammon: move all 15 of your checkers around the board into your home board, then bear them off. The first player to bear off all 15 checkers wins.
Board Setup
The starting position in Tavla is identical to standard backgammon:
- 2 checkers on the 24-point (opponent’s home board)
- 5 checkers on the 13-point (opponent’s outer board)
- 3 checkers on the 8-point (your outer board)
- 5 checkers on the 6-point (your home board)
Both players move in opposite directions, exactly as in standard backgammon.
How a Turn Works
Movement in Tavla follows the same basic rules as backgammon:
- Roll both dice and move checkers according to the numbers shown
- You may move one checker twice or two different checkers once each
- You must use both dice if legally possible
- If only one die can be played, you must use the higher value
- You cannot land on a point occupied by two or more opponent checkers
- A single opponent checker (blot) can be hit and sent to the bar
- Doubles are played four times as in standard backgammon
Key Differences from Standard Backgammon
These are the rules that make Tavla distinct from Western backgammon. If you know standard backgammon, focus on these.
1. The opening roll winner rolls again
In standard backgammon, the player who wins the opening roll uses the two dice already shown (one from each player) as their first move.
In Tavla, the player who wins the opening roll rolls both dice again for their actual first move. The opening roll only determines who goes first — it is not used for movement.
2. No doubling cube
Traditional Tavla does not use a doubling cube. Games are played for a fixed stake and the cube is not offered, accepted, or tracked. This makes Tavla faster and simpler than standard backgammon, and removes one of the deepest strategic layers of the Western game.
3. No backgammon result — only normal win and gammon
In standard backgammon, there are three possible results: normal win (1 point), gammon (2 points), and backgammon (3 points).
In traditional Tavla, there are only two:
- Normal win — you bear off all your checkers first
- Gammon — you win before your opponent bears off any checkers (worth 2 points)
There is no backgammon result in Tavla.
4. Bearing off — you must bear off if you can
In standard backgammon, when your roll is higher than all your occupied points during bearing off, you bear off from your highest occupied point. But in some situations you have a choice between bearing off and moving inside the home board.
In Tavla, you must always bear off a checker if the dice allow it — you cannot choose to move inside the home board instead when bearing off is possible. This makes the bearing-off phase slightly more constrained than in standard backgammon.
5. Hit-and-run in the home board applies
In standard backgammon, there are nuances around hitting in your home board. In Tavla, the hit-and-run concept in the home board applies straightforwardly — if you land on a blot, it is hit regardless of where it is on the board.
Scoring
Tavla is typically played as a match — first to 5 wins (though 3 or 7 are also common depending on the setting).
- Normal win: 1 point
- Gammon: 2 points (opponent has not borne off any checkers)
- No backgammon result
Tavla Culture and Tradition
Tavla is more than a game in Turkey — it is a social ritual. A few things to know if you play with Turkish players:
Dice are rolled by hand. In traditional Turkish play, there is no dice cup. Players roll by hand directly onto the board. If a die lands upright or falls off the board, it is re-rolled. Once a player lifts their hand from a checker after moving it, the move is final.
Speed and sound are part of the game. Turkish tavla players are known for playing quickly and placing checkers firmly on the board. The sharp sound of checkers hitting the wooden board is considered part of the experience.
Matches to 5 are standard. A typical casual game is first to 5 wins. If you lose badly without scoring a point, your opponent may jokingly suggest you “go learn and come back.”
Cafe culture. Tavla is the game of Turkish tea houses (çay evi). It is common to see players of all ages engaged in games over tea, with onlookers watching and commenting freely.
What Stays the Same as Standard Backgammon
- The board and starting position are identical
- Both players move in opposite directions
- Blocked points work the same way
- Hitting and re-entering from the bar work the same way
- Doubles are played four times
- All 15 checkers must be in the home board before bearing off
Tavla vs Backgammon — Quick Comparison
| Feature | Standard Backgammon | Tavla |
|---|---|---|
| Board & setup | Standard | Identical |
| Opening roll | Used for first move | Re-rolled by winner |
| Doubling cube | Yes | No |
| Results | Win / Gammon / Backgammon | Win / Gammon only |
| Bearing off | Choice allowed | Must bear off if possible |
| Dice rolling | Dice cup required in tournaments | Hand-rolled in tradition |
| Match length | Variable | Typically first to 5 |
Play Tavla Online
Tavla is available on Nextgammon, which offers both standard backgammon and the Tavla variant with the correct rule differences applied.