Tavli
In Greece, tavli is both the board and a match of three games. The games follow in a cycle — portes, plakoto, fevga, portes again — until someone reaches the match score.
The match
The match is played to 3, 5 or 7 points — chosen when you make the challenge, 5 by default. The first game is started by whoever rolls the higher die, using the numbers rolled. Each following game is started by the winner of the previous one, who rolls both dice. There is no doubling cube. A win in any of the three games is worth 1 point, a gammon (the opponent has not borne off a single checker) 2 points; a game never scores more than 2.
Portes
This is regular backgammon: the same starting position, the players move towards each other, and a lone opponent checker is hit to the bar.
Plakoto
Each player has all 15 checkers on the opponent's first point; the players move towards each other. A lone checker is not hit but pinned by landing on it. The "mother" is a player's last checker on the starting point: if it gets pinned and the pinning player has no checkers left on their own start, the game ends — 2 points. If both mothers are pinned, it is a draw, nobody scores, and fevga comes next. While a player has a pinned checker, they cannot bear off. See the Plakoto rules for details.
Fevga
This is long backgammon: all 15 checkers on one point in a corner, both players move in the same direction, a single checker blocks a point, and there is no hitting.
- At first only one checker moves, until it passes the opponent's starting point; only then may the others move.
- You may not occupy six points in a row in your starting quarter or directly in front of the opponent's starting point.
- If you can play so that the opponent still has some move, you must play that way.
Moves
In all three games a double is played four times; you must play both dice, and if that is impossible, the larger one.