Timers

The official position of Backgammon.international regarding the use of timers during backgammon play is as follows:

• Timers are useful only when playing on a computer.
• Timers are undesirable when playing on a traditional physical board.

In traditional over-the-board play, timers do not serve their intended purpose.

Backgammon is a fast game, and the time a player loses by operating a timer is significant. The need to click the timer constantly:

• distracts the player;
• reduces the enjoyment of the game;
• often slows the game down rather than speeding it up, because time is lost in handling the timer.

Some players think longer about their moves, but abuse in face-to-face play is extremely rare.

In online backgammon, slow-play abuse occurs more often. However, in an online environment the computer manages the timer.

The player does not lose time and is not distracted by operating timers.

The beauty of the game is preserved, while the timer provides all the benefits for which it is intended.

On the Backgammon.international platform, you will have a limited amount of time for each move. For analysing more complex positions, you will also have additional reserve time.

The timers (in seconds) are as follows:

Match type	Time per move	Extra time (per game)
Rated match	30 sec	75 sec
Unrated match	45 sec	90 sec
Tournament match	15 sec	60 sec

If a player does not move in time, it is considered a resignation of the game as a backgammon loss (3 points).

In situations where both players are absent, the unplayed move — and thus the loss of the game — will fall to one of them at random. This ensures that every started match will be completed, regardless of whether the players are online.