Acey-Deucey has a long history in America. Its popularity has risen in First World War and since that time this game is frequently played throughout the country. More than that, Acey-Deucey has become the favorite game of United States Army, especially Marine Corps and Navy.
This game is easy and fun to play, so everyone may like it. The rules are not complicated - each player has 15 checkers. The aim of the game is to move your checkers round the board to your home table. That player who first bears checkers off the board is the winner of the game.
In the beginning of the game all players have their checkers off the board, so first they have to enter them on an opponent’s home table which depends on the number you roll. Let’s say, your numbers on dices are 4 and 3. That means, you put your first checker on six-point table of your opponent and your second checker goes to three-point table. Dices are rolled in turn. Since you have 1 or more checkers on the board you can choose either to move this one or enter new checkers to the board. Please note you can put your checker only on so called “open point” that means this board table is not occupied by 2 or more checkers of your opponent.
When you roll dices a number on each one indicates your move. You can use these numbers to move 2 checkers or 1 for a sum of numbers rolled. For example, you have 3 and 6 on your dices. That means you can move one checker for 3 spaces and another one for 6 spaces, or you can move just one checker for 9 spaces. Note, that moving only one checker is possible if at least one of intermediate points is open (in our case you can move one checker to 9 points if it’s also possible to move it to 3 or 6).
If you roll dices and get doubles, you use them 4 times. It means, if you have 5 and 5 on dices, you make not 2 moves 5 points each, but 4 moves.
As you roll dices, you must play all the moves they have. In case only one move is possible, you must play the bigger one.
According to the name of the game – Acey-Deucey – rolls 1 and 2 must get some privileges. That is true. If you get 1 and 2 on your dices you’re a lucky one! First you make 1 and 2 point moves just as usual and then you name doubles you want to have and play them just as if you have rolled these doubles. After that you roll dices once again and play them as usual. To have all these moves you must play previous one at full that means to name doubles you must be able to 1 and 2.
As it was mentioned above, player can have 2 or even more checkers on one point. If there is only one checker on a point, it’s called blot. Your opponent can get this checker out of board by placing own checker on the same point. If this has happened, you must enter this checker to the game again starting from opponent’s table.
Only when all your 15 checkers are on the home board, you can start bearing them off. All you need is to roll a number corresponding the point of checker you want to bear off. In case you roll a number what cannot allow you to bear off a checker, you must make a move.
The player who bears off all checkers is the winner while loser pays one point for each checker he has on a board and for each one that is to be entered to the board.
Acey-Deucey is so popular because it’s an exciting blend of luck and skills. As 1-2 combination gives you privileges, there is an element of risk and uncertainty up to the end of the game. On the other hand, a skilled player can always block opponent’s checkers or place them off the board.