At a glance
| Heartland | US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard tradition; Mediterranean cruise-ship cousins |
|---|---|
| Players | 2, with 15 checkers each |
| Doubling cube | Not used traditionally |
| Hitting | Yes — standard |
| Starting position | All 30 checkers off the board; each player enters them as if from the bar |
| Signature roll | 1-2 (“acey-deucey”): play the 1 and 2, then any double of your choice, then roll again |
How Acey-Deucey plays
- Everyone starts at sea. All fifteen checkers per side begin off the board. You enter them into the opponent's home board exactly as if re-entering from the bar — a 1 enters on the opponent's 24-point, a 6 on their 19-point.
- Entry is not imprisonment. Unlike bar re-entry in standard play, checkers still in your reserve don't freeze the rest of your army: once checkers are on the board you may move them even while others wait to enter. Only checkers actually hit to the bar take priority.
- The acey-deucey roll. Rolling 1-2 is the game's jackpot: play the 1 and the 2, then choose any double (1-1 through 6-6) and play it, then roll again.
- Extra rolls for doubles. In the American tradition Boardgammon follows, any double you play in full also earns another roll — hot dice stay hot.
- Otherwise standard. Hitting, blocked points, and the standard bear-off law all apply.
Scoring
Traditional shipboard scoring has no cube; tables often score wins bigger by ending condition — double or more when the loser still has checkers waiting to enter, with conventions varying ship to ship. Agree before the first roll, exactly as with money-play options in the standard game.
Strategy in brief
- Enter with purpose. Your entry rolls sketch your first structure — favor entries that build toward points rather than scattering blots.
- Respect the swing. A 1-2 with a well-chosen double is worth roughly three turns; keep positions flexible enough to survive the opponent catching one.
- Race awareness still pays. Behind the fireworks it is a race — count pips before committing to a hitting war.
A Mediterranean cousin — European Acey-Deucey — gives doubles different bonus treatment and thrives in cruise-ship card rooms and maritime communities.
How Acey-Deucey differs from standard backgammon
| Aspect | Standard backgammon | Acey-Deucey |
|---|---|---|
| Starting position | Fixed 15-checker setup on the board | Everyone starts off the board and must enter all 15 via the opponent’s home board |
| Entering | Only hit checkers enter from the bar | Entering is the whole opening; entries work like bar entries but moving on the board is allowed while checkers remain in reserve |
| The 1-2 roll | An ordinary small roll | Play 1 and 2, then name and play any double, then roll again |
| Doubles | Played four times | Played four times — and (American house rule) a fully-played double earns another roll |
| Doubling cube | Standard | Not used; wins are often scored bigger by ending condition |
| Temperament | Strategic siege | High-variance shore leave |
New to the game? Start with the standard backgammon rules, browse the other variants, or look up any term in the glossary.