Online Backgammon Etiquette

Backgammon is a social game, and that does not change when the board is on a screen. Online you cannot see your opponent's face, so small signals carry more weight: a greeting, a quick move, a thank-you at the end. Good manners make games more pleasant for both sides and make people happy to play you again.

Greeting and closing

A short "hi" or "good luck" at the start and "thanks for the game" at the end is all that is expected. You do not need to chat during play. If you are about to start a long match, it is polite to mention if you might need a short break, so your opponent is not left waiting without knowing why.

Do not stall

Stalling means taking far longer than needed, usually to annoy the opponent or to wait for them to leave. It is one of the most common complaints in online play.

• Play forced and obvious moves quickly. Save your thinking time for real decisions.
• If the server offers an automatic bear-off or quick-move option, using it in simple positions is a courtesy.
• In a timed match, the clock limits stalling, but using your whole time bank on every move is still poor form.
• If you need to step away, say so briefly and come back on time.

Finish what you start

Leaving a match in the middle, especially when you are losing, is the worst habit in online backgammon. Your opponent has invested time and is left without a result. On many servers an abandoned match also counts against your rating or reputation. If you only have twenty minutes, choose a short match. If something urgent comes up, explain in chat and, where possible, resign properly rather than closing the window. Tournament play adds a schedule that other people depend on; see online tournaments.

Using chat well

• Keep it friendly and brief. Not everyone wants to talk during a game, and that is fine.
• Do not coach your opponent or comment on their moves unless they ask.
• Do not complain about their luck. Every player gets lucky rolls; pointing them out sounds bitter.
• No insults, no spam, no pressure to hurry beyond a polite reminder.
• If someone is abusive, use the mute or report button rather than arguing.

Resigning properly

Resigning saves time when the result is clear. Most servers let you offer to resign a single game, a gammon or a backgammon, and the opponent can accept or refuse. A few guidelines:

• Offer the level you really expect to lose. Offering a single game when you are clearly getting gammoned just forces your opponent to refuse and play on.
• If your opponent offers a fair resignation, accept it rather than playing on to rub it in.
• Remember that in a match, a resigned game counts at the current cube value, so check the score before you click.

How the resign and other buttons appear on screen is covered in the online game.

Handling bad luck

Everyone has sessions where nothing works. The dice are random, and over many games luck evens out. If you feel sure the dice are against you, the calm answer is to check the numbers rather than accuse anyone; the fair dice page explains how. In the moment:

• Take a breath before you type anything in chat.
• Finish the game with the same care you would give a winning one.
• If you are tilting, stop after the current match and come back later.
• Look at the game again afterwards. Often a loss blamed on the dice had a mistake in it too.

Being a good opponent is simple: play at a steady pace, finish your matches, and be gracious whether you win or lose.