Backgammon Etiquette

In backgammon games, like all games, manners count. If you treat your opponent the way you’d like to be treated, then you will almost always be able to find an opponent willing to face you. If you act rudely towards your opponent or patronize him, you probably won't get a rematch. That means that you shouldn't act self-satisfied when you like your roll, or when your opponent rolls a lousy roll.

It's considered impolite to tell your opponent how lucky he or she is, because players like to believe that they win exclusively due to their skills. While luck always helps, a bad player will lose even with lucky rolls, and a good player can win with poor rolls as well.

When you are playing backgammon, you should give the game your full attention and not expect your opponent to hang around while you take phone calls, chat with spectators online, or look up best responses in backgammon software programs such as Jellyfish or Snowie (that’s cheating!). When you're playing, you should JUST play. That means you can't ask anyone else for advice. You shouldn't talk to other people, and you shouldn't be doing anything else to distract you. Some online backgammon rooms limit your time per turn to keep the game moving, but you shouldn't need to be forced to play politely.

Remember that when you are playing online backgammon, there is a real person behind the board, even if he is thousands of miles away. He wants to enjoy the game, just as you do, and he wants a fair and equitable game. Give him time. Saying "go" five hundred times is just plain rude. If the other player has been idle for a while, it's okay to ask if they're still there, or to say "your move," but give the other player at least forty seconds before you bother them.

Finally, always say thank you at the end of a game. A simple "GG" (good game) is a nice way to say that you enjoyed playing.