Backgammon is one of those games that is easy enough to teach a child to play and yet is complex enough to allow truly good players. There is just enough randomness to allow a beginner to beat a good player, but this will not happen often.

From a set position, players try to move their tiles around a semi-circular path into their home zone and then proceed to remove their own pieces from the game. The first to do so is the winner. Players determine their moves by rolling two dice, but the move is actually the two dice individually, not the total. Doubles give four moves, not two. Single tiles are vulnerable, two or more invulnerable.

There are many strategies, but none too complex for everyone to understand. It is a great way to pass the time-- no two games are alike.