Acey-deucey (also spelled "acey-deucy" or "acey-ducey") is one of the most popular backgammon variants. It is a faster game and in some ways more exciting than regular backgammon. The main distinguishing feature is the roll of 1 and 2 (acey-deucey) which gives the player who rolls it extra turns. There are several ways of playing of Acey-Deucey. Here are descriptions of the three most popular versions of the game:
- American Acey-Deucey
- European Acey-Deucey
- Greek Acey-Deucey
Mexican Backgammon has similar treatment of the 1-2 roll, so it can be considered a another version of Acey-Deucey.
Acey-deucey seems to have originated in the Middle East and is now popular all over the world.
The Greek name for Acey-Deucey is Ace-Deo, which means "one-two." The rules presented here come primarily from Nicholas Frantzis's book The Seven Popular Games of Backgammon (1979).
The American version of Acey-Deucey has been a favorite game of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Merchant Marine since the First World War.
Setup
Each player starts with fifteen checkers off the board. The players enter their checkers in the opponent's home board, then bring them around the board as shown in the diagram below.
Object
The object of the game is to move all of your checkers around the board to your own home table and then bear them off. The first player to bear off all of his checkers wins the game.
To start
Each player rolls one die and the higher number goes first. That player then rolls both dice again to begin his first turn.
Movement
The roll of the dice indicates how many points, or pips, the player is to move his checkers. The following rules apply:
- A checker may be moved only to an open point, one that is not occupied by two or more opposing checkers.
- The numbers on the two dice constitute separate moves. For example, if you roll 5 and 3, you may move one checker five spaces to an open point and another checker three spaces to an open point, or you may move the one checker a total of eight spaces to an open point, but only if the intermediate point (either three or five spaces from the starting point) is also open.
- Doubles are played twice. For example, a roll of 6-6 means you have four sixes to use.
- You must use both numbers of a roll if possible, or all four numbers in the case of doubles. If you can play one number but not both, you must play the higher one.
Acey-deucey
If you roll 1 and 2 (acey-deucey), this is what happens:
- First, you play the 1-2 in the normal way.
- Then you name any roll of doubles you wish, and play it as if you had rolled it.
That is the end of your turn; you do not get to roll again as in other forms of acey-deucey.
Hitting
A checker sitting alone on a point is called a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar.
Entering from the bar
Any time you have one or more checkers on the bar, your first obligation is to reenter those checker(s) into the opponent's home board. You reenter a checker by moving it to an open point corresponding to one of the numbers on the rolled dice. If you are able to enter some but not all of your checkers on the bar, you must enter as many as you can then give up the remainder of your turn.
Compulsory hit
At the end of his turn, a player may name one of his own blots to be hit. This request must be made before the opponent rolls the dice. The opponent must then hit the named blot if possible on his turn. If there is more than one way to hit the named blot, the opponent is free to hit it in the manner he chooses.
Bearing Off
Once you have moved all fifteen of your checkers into your home board, you may begin bearing off. You bear off a checker by rolling a number that corresponds to the point on which the checker resides, then removing it from the board.
If there is no checker on the point indicated by the roll, you must make a legal move using a checker on a higher-numbered point. If there are no checkers on higher-numbered points, you must remove a checker from the highest point that has a checker.
Scoring
The winner of the game scores one point. There are no gammons or backgammons. There is no doubling cube.
Rule Differences from Backgammon
- All checkers start on the opponent's one-point.
- The winner of the opening roll rerolls for his first turn.
- After rolling acey-deucey (1-2), you can name and play a double of your choice.
- At the end of a turn, a player may nominate one of his own blots and request that his opponent hit it.
- There are no gammons or backgammons.
- There is no doubling cube.
The Greek name for Acey-Deucey is Ace-Deo, which means "one-two." The rules presented here come primarily from Nicholas Frantzis's book The Seven Popular Games of Backgammon (1979).