Tavli (Greek: τάβλι) is Greece’s national backgammon tradition — a set of three distinct dice-and-checker games played in sequence on the same board. Walk into any café in Greece, and you’ll find players hunched over Tavli boards. It is as culturally embedded in Greek daily life as chess is in Russia or mahjong in China. This guide explains all three games in full.
Key Takeaways
- Tavli is a Greek tradition of three games played in sequence: Portes → Plakoto → Fevga
- Portes is nearly identical to standard backgammon — same board, same setup, same hitting rules
- Plakoto replaces hitting with pinning — land on a blot to trap it rather than send it to the bar
- Fevga (Moultezim) is a one-direction race with blocking and no hitting — similar to Narde
- Each game is worth 1 point, or 2 for a gammon — players cycle through all three games in a match
- No doubling cube is used in traditional Tavli
Overview: The Three Games of Tavli
A full Tavli match consists of three games played on the same board, in this fixed order:
- Portes — Backgammon (similar to Western backgammon)
- Plakoto — Pinning game (no hitting; trap opponent checkers instead)
- Fevga — One-direction race (no hitting; all checkers start on one point)
After one cycle of all three, the sequence repeats. A match is played to an agreed point total (typically 5 or 7 points). Each game is worth 1 point to the winner, or 2 points if the loser has not borne off any checkers (a gammon).
Game 1: Portes (Πόρτες)
Portes is the closest Tavli game to Western backgammon. If you already know backgammon rules, you can play Portes immediately with only minor differences.
Starting Position
Identical to standard backgammon: 2 checkers on the 24-point, 5 on the 13-point, 3 on the 8-point, 5 on the 6-point — mirrored for both players. See the board setup guide.
Movement
Each player moves in the opposite direction (same as standard backgammon). Dice are rolled and checkers moved as normal.
Hitting
Yes — hitting works exactly as in standard backgammon. Landing on a single opponent checker (a blot) sends it to the bar. The opponent must re-enter before making any other move.
Bearing Off
Same as standard backgammon — bear off once all 15 checkers are in the home board.
Key Differences from Standard Backgammon
- No doubling cube in traditional Tavli
- No Crawford Rule (no cube means no match equity considerations of the same type)
- Gammons count — 2 points if opponent hasn’t borne off any checkers
Game 2: Plakoto (Πλακωτό)
Plakoto is the most distinctive Tavli game. The concept of sending checkers to the bar is replaced with a pinning mechanic that creates entirely different strategy.
Starting Position
Both players start with all 15 checkers on their own 24-point (similar to Narde’s starting position). This is very different from Portes/standard backgammon.
Movement
Both players move in opposite directions (same as standard backgammon), from their own 24-point toward their own 1-point.
The Pinning Rule (No Bar)
This is Plakoto’s defining mechanic:
- You cannot hit in the traditional sense (no sending checkers to the bar)
- When you land on a point with exactly one opponent checker (a blot), you pin it — your checker sits on top of the opponent checker
- The pinned checker cannot move until your checker leaves the point
- You may stack additional checkers on a pinned point — the opponent’s checker remains pinned under all of yours
- The opponent’s mother checker (the last remaining checker on their starting 24-point) cannot be pinned — if it’s the last checker there, you may not land on it
Winning
First player to bear off all 15 checkers wins. If your mother checker (starting 24-point checker) is still pinned at any point, you automatically lose — this is called a backgammon in Plakoto.
Strategy in Plakoto
- Pin opponent blots whenever possible — pinned checkers are effectively off the board while trapped
- Protect your own checkers by pairing them up (two checkers on a point cannot be pinned)
- The mother checker on the 24-point is your most critical piece — leave it vulnerable and you risk an instant loss
- Building primes (consecutive made points) is even more valuable than in standard backgammon because there is no bar escape
Game 3: Fevga (Φεύγα) / Moultezim
Fevga (also called Moultezim in some regions) is the final game in a Tavli cycle. It shares characteristics with Narde — both players move in the same direction, and there is no hitting.
Starting Position
- Both players place all 15 checkers on the 24-point
- Both players move in the same direction: 24 → 23 → … → 1 (counter-clockwise)
- Both players aim to bear off from their home board (points 1–6)
Because both players start from the 24-point moving in the same direction, there is naturally less early interaction compared to Portes.
No Hitting
As with Plakoto, there is no hitting in Fevga. You may not land on any point where an opponent checker stands. If a legal move is impossible, you forfeit your turn.
The Head Rule
Identical to Narde: you may only move one checker per turn off the starting 24-point (your head). Exception: on the very first turn, if you roll double 6, double 4, or double 3, you may move two checkers off the head.
Blocking
Because you cannot hit, blocking is paramount. Making consecutive points to form a prime traps opponent checkers behind it — they cannot pass or leapfrog. A 6-prime (six consecutive made points) is completely impenetrable.
Strategy in Fevga
- Rush early: High rolls on the first few turns are critical — advance checkers rapidly before your opponent builds a prime in your path
- Build a moving prime: Similar to Narde strategy — advance a wall of consecutive points that traps opponent checkers
- Don’t leave checkers behind: A checker trapped behind a long prime in Fevga can’t escape — it will cost you many turns or the game
- Bear in efficiently: Spread checkers across the home board rather than stacking. See bearing in.
Scoring a Tavli Match
| Result | Points Awarded |
|---|---|
| Normal win (opponent borne off at least one checker) | 1 point |
| Gammon (opponent hasn’t borne off any checkers) | 2 points |
| Plakoto: Mother checker still pinned at end | Special backgammon loss (varies by house rules) |
A match is typically played to 5, 7, or 9 points. The three games cycle indefinitely until the match is won.
Tavli vs. Standard Backgammon
| Feature | Standard Backgammon | Tavli |
|---|---|---|
| Number of games | 1 game type | 3 game types in sequence |
| Hitting | Yes (blots to bar) | Portes: Yes / Plakoto & Fevga: No |
| Starting position | Spread across 4 points | Varies by game |
| Doubling cube | Yes (competitive) | No (traditional) |
| Pinning | No | Plakoto: Yes |
| Direction | Opposite | Portes: opposite / Fevga: same |
| Gammon value | 2× | 2 points (flat scoring) |
Playing Tavli Online
Tavli has a growing online presence, particularly:
- Tavli.gr — dedicated Greek platform
- VIP Backgammon — includes Tavli mode
- Playgammon — popular in the Mediterranean
For more platform options including international ones, see backgammon online platforms.
Learning More About Backgammon Variants
Tavli and Narde represent the two largest regional backgammon traditions outside Western standard backgammon. For a full survey of variants from around the world, see backgammon variations.
If you’re new to the underlying game mechanics, start with how to play backgammon and backgammon checker movement before tackling Tavli’s three game types.
Summary
Tavli is not just one game — it’s three games combined into a tradition:
- Portes: Near-identical to standard backgammon, hitting allowed
- Plakoto: Pin instead of hit; mother checker vulnerability adds a unique losing condition
- Fevga: One-direction race with no hitting, identical head rule to Narde
Mastering Tavli means mastering three distinct game-types on one board — an excellent way to deepen your understanding of dice-and-checker strategy across its many forms.