Plakoto
A Greek Backgammon variant in which landing on a lone opponent piece does not send it to the bar — instead, it pins it. A pinned piece cannot move until the piece pinning it moves away. Plakoto is one of the three Greek games (with Fevga and Portes) played together as Tavli, a set of three consecutive games scored together.
Plakoto — starting position
https://engine.moddable.games/play/?game=backgammon&variant=plakoto
| Item | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 1 | 24-point board |
| Checkers | 30 | 15 per player |
| Dice | 4 | 2 per player |
Setup
Both players start with all 15 checkers on point 24 (from each player’s perspective). Both players move in the same direction: counter-clockwise, from point 24 to point 1.
Movement
Movement is the same as standard Backgammon except for the pinning rule below. Roll two dice each turn and move forward.
Pinning
If you land on a point occupied by exactly one opponent checker, that checker is pinned beneath yours. The pinned piece cannot move for as long as your piece remains on that point.
- A pinned piece is still on the board but immobile.
- You may stack additional pieces on a pinned piece. The opponent’s piece remains pinned until all of your pieces leave that point.
- You cannot pin a piece that is already occupied by two or more opponent pieces (that point is closed to you).
Winning Immediately
If you pin the opponent’s last piece on their starting point (their 24-point), you win immediately without completing bear-off.
Blocking
A point with 2 or more of your checkers is closed. Opponent pieces cannot land on it. Pinning is only possible on points with exactly 1 opponent piece.
Bearing Off
Once all 15 of your pieces are in your home board (points 1–6), bear off normally.
Winning
First to bear off all 15 pieces wins. Winning while the opponent’s last piece is pinned on their starting point is also a win.
Attribution
Plakoto. Traditional game, Greece. Part of the Tavli family. Public domain. Source: Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA).