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Games of the World

Games of Greece

Tavli is three games on one board. Hit in Portes, pin in Plakoto, then race the same way around in Fevga, and keep going until someone reaches the target.

  • 3 games, 1 board
  • No doubling cube
  • No ads, no sign-up
  • Free coach

If your last checker on the start point gets pinned in Plakoto, the game can end on the spot and cost you double.

See all games

Play the games of Greece

Full match TavliAll three, one after another Portes, then Plakoto, then Fevga, repeating until someone reaches the target. This is the real thing. Play Tavli Hit PortesThe one that looks familiar The backgammon setup, with hitting and points to build. No doubling cube, and the most a game can score is 2. Play Portes Pin PlakotoTrap a checker, don’t hit it Land on a lone checker and it can’t move until you leave. All 15 start on one point, so the first moves matter. Play Plakoto Race FevgaSame direction, no hitting Both sides run the same way around the board. One checker holds a point, so the game is all about blocking. Play Fevga

The rules, short

In every game each player has 15 checkers, doubles are played four times, and all your checkers must be home before you bear off. Win once for 1 point, or for 2 if the opponent hasn’t borne off a checker yet. After the first game, the last winner starts.

Portes

  • Starts like backgammon, with players moving in opposite directions.
  • Land on a lone checker to send it to the bar. It must re-enter before you move anything else.
  • No doubling cube.

Plakoto

  • All 15 checkers start on the far corner point. Players move in opposite directions.
  • There is no hitting. Land on a lone checker and it is pinned until you move off.
  • A point holding two checkers, or a checker pinning one of yours, is closed.
  • Your last checker on the start point is the mother. If she’s pinned while the opponent has already left their own start point, you lose 2 points at once.
  • If both mothers are pinned, the game is a tie and is played again.

Fevga

  • All 15 start on opposite corners, and both players move the same way around the board.
  • No hitting and no pinning. A single checker holds a point against the opponent.
  • Your first checker must pass the opponent’s start point before any other checker can move.
  • You can’t hold all six points of your starting table.
  • If you hold six points in a row and all 15 opposing checkers are gathered on the point just behind them, you must open one.

House rules vary across Greece. These follow the rules published on Backgammon Galore.

Greek words at the table

Tavli
The Greek name for the board and for the three-game set.
Portes (doors)
The game of made points, closest to Western backgammon.
Plakoto (pressed down)
The game where a checker pins another under it.
Fevga (run)
The game where both sides run the same way.
Mana (mother)
Your last checker on the start point in Plakoto.

Questions

Is tavli the same as backgammon?

Portes is close to it. Plakoto and Fevga are different games that use the same board and dice, and neither has any hitting.

Can I play just one of the three?

Yes. Pick Plakoto, Fevga or Portes from this page or from the setup screen in Backgammon. Your choice is saved on your device.

Do I need an account?

No. There is no sign-up and there are no ads. You play against the computer straight away, and a free coach can explain your moves.

Is the computer fair?

Every roll is sealed before the game starts, and you can check it afterwards. See how it works.