These rules apply to all physical backgammon tournaments organised on the platform. Special rules stated on the tournament page (match length, clock, number of lives, prizes) take precedence over this text. The head referee has the final word on the interpretation of the rules.
1. General principles and sportsmanship
- Every player who registers for a tournament is deemed to have read and accepted these rules.
- Respect for the opponent, the referee and spectators is essential. Insults, threats, stalling, and tampering with the dice or the board are unsporting conduct.
- Loud comments during a match, commenting on the opponent's moves and receiving help from spectators are prohibited.
- Betting and playing for money are prohibited in the tournament area. Any player caught doing so is removed from the tournament.
- Playing under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not allowed.
2. Registration, identity and entry fee
- Each player registers with a single Tavla ID. Opening more than one account is prohibited; duplicate accounts are merged and results are combined under one account.
- The entry fee is paid using the methods listed on the tournament page: online card, bank transfer (with the check-in code in the description) or cash/card at the venue.
- The early registration discount applies only to payments made by the stated date.
- When capacity is full, new registrations go to the waitlist. If a registered player withdraws, the next player on the waitlist automatically moves to the main list and is notified.
- Refunds: a player who withdraws before registration closes is refunded according to the organiser's refund policy. No refund is given to a player who withdraws or does not show up after the draw.
- If a side event (Last Chance, etc.) is free for main tournament participants, this is stated separately on the tournament page.
3. Check-in and calls to the table
- Players must check in at the referee desk before the tournament starts. Check-in is done with the QR code in your account, your Tavla ID or your registered phone number.
- A player who has not checked in is not included in the draw; a player from the waitlist may take their place.
- Once the pairing and table number are announced, the player must be at the table within 10 minutes. A player who is not at the table when time runs out is declared the loser by walkover by the referee.
- The referee calls players to the table through a system notification and a venue announcement; following these notifications is the player's responsibility.
4. Draw, pairings and formats
- The draw is made by the system and published on the tournament page. Seeding is based on rating or is random, depending on the tournament setting.
- Club protection: when enabled, players from the same club avoid meeting in the first round wherever possible.
- Single elimination: the loser is eliminated. If the number of players is not a power of two, the top seeds receive a BYE (advance without playing) in the first round.
- Double elimination: a player is eliminated after two losses; the winner of the losers' bracket plays the winner of the winners' bracket in the grand final.
- Swiss system: in each round players with the same score are paired, and the same two players never meet twice. Ties are broken by point difference and the sum of opponents' scores (Buchholz).
- League / round robin: everyone plays everyone. Points for wins, losses and walkovers are shown on the league page.
- Lives system: each player has a set number of lives; every loss costs one life and a player with no lives left is eliminated. Pairings are made between players with the same number of lives; the BYE goes to the player with the fewest lives. In season finals, starting lives may be allocated by season ranking.
5. Board, checkers and dice
- A standard backgammon board, 15 checkers each and two dice are used. A dice cup is mandatory; the dice are shaken in the cup and thrown.
- The dice must be thrown into the player's own (right-hand) section. A die that falls off the board, lands tilted on a checker or the edge, or lands between two sections is invalid, and both dice are rolled again.
- A roll made before the opponent has finished their move and picked up their dice is invalid.
- Dice or cups may only be changed with the referee's approval. At either player's request, the referee may mix or replace the dice.
6. Starting the game and moves
- To start the game each player rolls one die; the player with the higher number makes the first move using the total of both dice. If the numbers are equal, they roll again.
- Moves are made with one hand. A move is complete once the player picks up their dice and cannot be taken back.
- Any playable number must be played. If only one of the two numbers can be played, the higher one must be played.
- An illegal move is corrected if it is noticed before the opponent rolls. Once the opponent has rolled, the illegal move stands.
- A hit checker is placed on the bar; a player with a checker on the bar must enter it before making any other move.
- Bearing off may only begin when all checkers are in the home board.
7. Doubling cube
- In tournaments that use the doubling cube, a player may offer a double before rolling. The opponent either accepts (the cube passes to them) or declines and loses the game at its current value.
- Crawford rule: when one player is one point away from winning the match, no doubling is allowed in the following game.
- A gammon counts double and a backgammon triple. These multipliers also apply in undoubled games (the Jacoby rule is not used).
8. Match length, clock and score
- Matches are played to the number of points stated on the tournament page (e.g. 5, 7, 9). Semi-finals and finals may be longer.
- In clocked tournaments, each player's total time and the per-move delay are shown on the page. A player stops the clock after finishing their move. A player who runs out of time loses the match.
- After each game both players record the score on the score sheet or the digital board. At the end of the match both players report the result to the referee desk and it is confirmed in the system.
- Live scores and digital board data are for information only; the official result is the one confirmed by the referee.
9. Walkover, withdrawal and disqualification
- Walkover: a player who does not come to the table or does not continue the game is declared the loser by walkover; the score is recorded as match length–0.
- Withdrawal: the remaining matches of a player who withdraws during the tournament are counted as lost by walkover.
- Disqualification: for cheating, serious unsporting conduct or repeated rule violations, the referee may remove a player from the tournament. A disqualified player receives no prize or ranking points.
- The referee may issue a warning, a game penalty or a match penalty. All penalties are recorded in the system.
10. Appeals
- Appeals against a score, a pairing or a referee decision must be made within 15 minutes after the match ends, at the referee desk or with the "Appeal" button in your account.
- Play is paused during an appeal; the referee hears both sides and makes a decision.
- The referee's decision is final. The decision and its reasoning are recorded in the appeal and communicated to the player.
- The result of a previous round cannot be changed once the next round's match has started.
11. Electronic devices and spectators
- Using a phone, tablet or backgammon analysis software during a match is prohibited. Phones must be on silent.
- Spectators stand at least one step away from the players, make no comments and do not point out moves. Spectators who break this rule are removed from the venue.
- Photos and video of matches may be taken with the organiser's permission.
12. Standings, ties and season points
- Tournament standings are determined by the format. In elimination events, players eliminated in the same round share the same place (e.g. 5–8).
- In Swiss and league events, ties are broken in this order: points, head-to-head difference, overall difference, sum of opponents' points.
- Rating: calculated with the FIBS formula, taking match length and opponent strength into account. Rating changes quickly during the first 30 matches (provisional rating).
- Season points: placement base points × tournament multiplier (Local, Regional, National, Major). At the end of the season, the top players are invited to the Super Final.
13. Prizes
- Prizes are awarded as announced on the tournament page: cash, trophy/medal, items or free entry to the next tournament.
- Cash prizes defined as a percentage of the pool are finalised at the end of the tournament according to the entry fees collected.
- Players who share a place receive that place's prize in equal shares.
- Category prizes (best woman, youth, veteran) are awarded if there is enough participation and can be received together with a placement prize.
- Cash prizes are paid by the organiser at the end of the tournament; the payment is recorded in the system.
14. Personal data and publication
- A player's name, club, city, match results and ranking are published publicly. Phone number and e-mail are shared only with the organiser and the referee.
- For details, see the Personal Data Notice.