Quick answer: Each player starts with 15 checkers: two on their 24-point, five on their 13-point, three on their 8-point and five on their 6-point. Count from your own home board. Your opponent uses the same arrangement from the opposite perspective.
This guide is for the moment when the board is open but the first die has not been rolled. Use the numbered diagram, then check the four stacks against the table. For the game itself, continue with our complete beginner’s guide.
Read the diagram from one player’s seat
In this view, cream’s home board is the bottom-right quarter. Its six points run from 6 beside the central bar to 1 at the right edge. Continue counting across the lower half to 12, then across the upper half from 13 to 24. The U.S. Backgammon Federation’s introduction confirms the standard starting position and the player-relative numbering.
Place your four starting stacks
| Your point | Your checkers |
|---|---|
| 24 | 2 |
| 13 | 5 |
| 8 | 3 |
| 6 | 5 |
Try a two-pass setup: first place the two five-checker stacks on 13 and 6. Then place the three on 8 and the remaining two on 24. Say the point number before the count: “13, five,” rather than memorising a row of stack heights without locations.
Now check the opponent’s pieces
Keep the diagram’s numbers unchanged while checking dark: two on 1, five on 12, three on 17 and five on 19. Those are dark’s own 24-, 13-, 8- and 6-points. For any physical point, the two players’ point numbers add to 25. For example, cream’s 8-point is dark’s 17-point.
Why another correct diagram may look reversed
A board may be arranged with the home boards on the left instead of the right. Backgammon Galore’s setup rules explicitly allow the mirrored arrangement. Do not copy half of one diagram and half of another: the whole setup and both movement directions must agree.
Instead of asking only “Is my home on the right?”, point to your own 1-point and trace your route from 24 down to 1. Then ask your opponent to do the same from their seat. This checks the relationship between the two players, even when the colours or orientation differ from the illustration.
Catch setup mistakes before the first roll
- Count each colour separately: 2 + 5 + 3 + 5 = 15; both colours together total 30.
- Check the locations: swapping the stacks on 8 and 13 keeps the total correct but gives the wrong starting position.
- Check both routes: the players travel in opposite directions, not around the board together.
- Check the bar: no checkers begin on the central bar.
Does checker colour decide who goes first?
No. Under standard international rules, the opening dice determine the starting player, not the colour. Our backgammon rules checklist explains the opening roll and legal moves.
Is this a guide to every tavla variant?
No. This diagram shows standard backgammon. At a Turkish tavla table, agree on the local playing and scoring conventions before starting; a familiar-looking setup does not settle every rule. For an organised event, follow its published rules.
Sources checked: 20 September 2026. Diagram and setup-check examples prepared by Seahorse Backgammon.