Narde is a game for two players, played on a board consisting of 24 triangles (points).
The triangles alternate in color and are grouped into four quadrants of six triangles each.
The quadrants are referred to as a player's home board and outer board,
and the opponent's home board and outer board.
Each player starts with fifteen stones on the rightmost point of the far side of the board,
at diagonally opposite corners from each other.
They both move in the same direction, counterclockwise, around the board.
Object
The object of the narde is move all your stones into your own home board and then bear them off.
The first player to bear off all of their checkers wins the game.
Begin
To start the game, each player throws a single die.
This determines both the player to go first and the numbers to be played.
If equal numbers come up, then both players roll again until they roll different numbers.
The player throwing the higher number now moves his checkers according to the numbers showing on both dice.
After the first roll, the players throw two dice and alternate turns.
Move
The roll of the dice indicates how many points the player is to move his stones.
The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves
A player who rolls doubles plays the numbers shown on the dice twice.
A player must use both numbers of a roll if this is legally possible (or all four numbers of a double).
A stone can be moved to point that is not occupied by any opposing checkers only.
The starting point for either player is called that player's "head."
You may move only one stone off of your head each turn.
The one exception is the first roll of the game in which you may move two checkers off your head:
two off the head is forced when a player rolls 3-3, 4-4, or 6-6 for his first roll.
You may not build a prime (six consecutive blocks) in front of all of the opponent's checkers; at least one opposing stone must be in front of your prime.
A major difference between Narde and Backgammon is that there is no hitting in this game.
Bearing off
Once a player has moved all his checkers into his home board, he or she may start bearing off .
A player bears off a stone by rolling a number that corresponds to the point
on which the checker resides, and then removing that checker from the board.
If there are no checkers on higher-numbered points, is permitted to remove a checker
from the highest point on which one of his checkers resides.
A player is under no obligation to bear off if he can make an otherwise legal move.
End of the game
The first player to bear off all his checkers wins the game and scores one point.
If the winner bears off all his checkers before the loser has borne off any, he gets two points.
