Tapa
Greek plakoto: a lone checker is not sent to the bar but pinned from above — and it stays there until the opponent moves on.
Rules in short
- No hitting: the opponent sits on top and blocks the checker
- A pinned checker cannot move until the block is lifted
- There is no bar, and therefore no re-entry
- Mistakes cost more: one pinned checker can stand for half a game
How tapa differs
In short backgammon a hit costs tempo; in tapa it costs time — a pinned checker does not play at all until the block is lifted. People take fewer risks and build more, and games are slower and more positional.
The classic beginner mistake is leaving a lone checker in the opponent’s path “just for one move”. In short backgammon the worst case is being hit and re-entering from the bar; in tapa the checker simply stands there under an enemy checker for as long as that suits the opponent — which often means until the end of the game.
Tapa, also known as plakoto, is traditionally played in Greece and Turkey. 162 games of it have been played on BG Space.