Section 4: Gameplay
Players alternate rolling two dice and moving checkers toward their home board. A roll of doubles is played twice. A lone checker may be hit and sent to the bar, and must re-enter before its owner may move anything else.
- What constitutes a valid roll is defined (Rule 4.1.3), including proper dice-rolling technique with a cup (Rule 4.1.3.1.1).
- Rolling the dice on the left is addressed specifically (Rule 4.1.3.1.2).
- Invalid rolls are treated differently before the dice begin to settle and once they have come to rest (Rule 4.1.3.3.1, Rule 4.1.3.3.2), with a defined handling procedure (Rule 4.1.3.3.3).
- Whether dice landing on checkers invalidates a roll is an explicit rule option (Rule 4.1.3.4).
- Move and checker-handling requirements are set out, covering both moves and the handling of checkers (Rule 4.2.2.1, Rule 4.2.2.2).
- Checker shuffling and the testing of alternative plays are permitted within limits, including offsetting moved checkers and restoring the original position between alternatives (Rule 4.2.2.3.1, Rule 4.2.2.3.2).
- Illegal moves are governed by rule (Rule 4.2.3), and invalid positions are corrected under a defined procedure (Rule 4.2.3.6).
- The end of turn differs depending on whether a game clock is in use and how many dice are in play (Rule 4.1.6.1, Rule 4.1.6.2, Rule 4.1.6.3).
- Premature actions are penalised: lifting the dice early is a "fast grab" (Rule 4.1.7.1) and rolling early is a "fast roll" (Rule 4.1.7.2).
- A premature roll that preempts a double during a close-out has its own rule (Rule 4.1.7.3).