Real Turkish tavla
Made points, hits, bearing off and the mars; no doubling cube. The rules run on the server, and the board only offers legal moves.
Hall V
North SultanTavla
Backgammon with real opponents, in palace splendour.
A walnut tavla box inlaid with mother-of-pearl, ivory dice and a cup of Turkish coffee beside it. Throw the dice, run your checkers home, build your points and catch your rival with a mars, against a stranger or with a friend. No ads; just the game, the company and the fun.
For adults 18+. Chips have no cash value; the game does not offer real-money gambling.
Why North Sultan: Tavla?
The Turkish backgammon of every coffee house, with a finely crafted box, fair server-thrown dice and a fair rating.
Fair dice
The server throws the dice with cryptographic-grade randomness. Nobody, including us, can choose the result, and your dice and your opponent's come from the same place.
Elo and rankings
Start at 1500 and climb with every match, weighted by your opponent's strength. See your place on the leaderboard and race in the weekly league.
Practice against the computer
Practise offline for free at Easy, Medium and Hard; your rating is not affected.
Tournaments
The Daily Backgammon Cup and the Weekly Backgammon League; rewards are in-game chips, titles and cosmetics.
Ad-free, premium
No ads, ever. Pick your style with boards, checker sets, dice and frames; the palace doors open as you level up.
Board, checkers and dice
A walnut box, mother-of-pearl inlaid points and a glow of amber. Fifteen mother-of-pearl checkers, fifteen of ebony and two ivory dice.
Düşeş
Everyone's favourite throw: four sixes.
Dü beş
Four fives; long roads get short.
Dört cihar
Four fours; the moment to make points.
Dü se
Four threes; quiet but useful.
Dubara
Four twos; a solid home board.
Hepyek
Four ones; sometimes exactly what you need.
Every throw has a traditional Turkish name, higher die first: Şeş beş (6-5), Cihar yek (4-1), Se dü (3-2)… The Turkish version of the app shows it under the dice.
Match and timer
A game scores 1, a mars 2. Choose the match length when you set up your table; the server keeps the time.
Single game
One game, one result. Just right for a coffee break.
A mars scores 2, the match ends.
First to 3
The first to three points wins: the coffee-house classic and the default.
Quick Play uses it too.
First to 5
The first to five points wins. For long, patient play.
Every game starts with a fresh opening roll.
Timer
30 seconds per turn, then a 60-second time bank per game. Forced moves play themselves.
Three timeouts in a match lose it.
Four ways, one board
Find a rival, take a seat in a lounge, call a friend or practise on your own.
Practice
Against the computer at Easy, Medium or Hard; no internet needed, free, and your rating is not affected.
Quick Play
An unstaked, rated match to three points: you are at the board with the next opponent in a few seconds.
Lounges
From the Kahvehane to the Divan-ı Hümayun, rated matches played with virtual chips. The stake is per match; a mars only changes the score.
Private game
With a friend, at the match length you choose, unstaked and unrated; just for the fun of it.
Elo rating
Everyone starts at 1500. In every Quick Play and lounge match played to the end, your rating moves by the difference between the actual result and the result expected from your opponent's rating: beating a strong opponent is worth more. Because the dice add luck, ratings move more calmly than in chess.
Your rating settles faster in your first 30 rated matches and moves more slowly after that. Computer opponents have fixed ratings: Easy 1200, Medium 1500, Hard 1750. Matches that end before both sides have played two turns are aborted: ratings do not change and stakes are refunded.
Lounges
Start in the coffee house; as you level up, the palace doors open one by one.
The warm corner for newcomers.
The busy tables of the Grand Bazaar.
Evening lanterns in the tulip garden.
Open to women players and VIP members.
The palace's most distinguished tables.
At the board in three steps
Download and sign in
Start right away as a guest, or sign in with your North Sultan account, the Apple or Google account you use for okey, batak or chess.
Pick your table
Quick Play, a lounge, a private game or practice against the computer; a single game, first to 3 or first to 5.
Throw the dice
Tap the dice cup, then drag or tap a checker; the board only shows legal moves. Şeş beş, my lord!
Fair and responsible play
North Sultan: Tavla is a social game for entertainment only. Chips have no cash value; they cannot be cashed out, sold or transferred between players, and no gambling with real money or prizes is offered. The game is for adults 18+.
The server runs the game, the dice and the timer, and checks every move against the rules. The dice are thrown the same way for everyone and are never adjusted for your level, balance, VIP membership or purchases. If no opponent is waiting, an empty seat may be filled after a few seconds by a computer player, which cannot see the dice in advance either. Analysis software and outside help are not allowed. In the app, Profile › Settings › Responsible Play lets you set a monthly spending limit, take a break or exclude yourself.
Frequently asked questions
Is the game free?
Yes, it is free to download and play, and practice against the computer is free too. If you like, you can buy chip packs or a VIP membership in the app; purchases are made only through the App Store and Google Play.
Can I sign in with my account from the other North Sultan games?
Yes. North Sultan games use one account: your chips, VIP membership, level, profile, friends and messages are the same in North Sultan: 101 Okey, North Sultan: Batak, North Sultan: Satranç and North Sultan: Okey. If you linked your account to Apple or Google, just sign in with the same account.
Which rules are used?
Classic Turkish tavla: checkers move under the international backgammon rules; a hit checker enters first, as much of the throw as possible must be played, and doubles are played four times. A game scores 1 and a mars 2; there is no doubling cube. A match is a single game, first to 3 or first to 5. Details: Backgammon Guide.
Are the dice really random?
Yes. The dice are thrown not on your phone but on the server, with a cryptographically secure random number generator, and every throw is stored with the match record. Nobody, including us, can choose the result in advance. The dice are thrown the same way for real players and computer opponents; purchases and VIP membership never affect them.
What happens when time runs out?
You have 30 seconds per turn plus a 60-second time bank per game. If both run out, the server plays your turn for you; three timeouts in one match lose the match. If you disconnect and come back within 45 seconds, the match continues; otherwise you lose it.
How is my Elo rating calculated?
Everyone starts at 1500. In Quick Play and lounge matches played to the end, your rating moves by the difference between the actual result and the result expected from your opponent's rating. Practice, private games and matches that end early (aborted) do not change it.
Can I cash out my chips?
No. Chips are virtual units used only in the game; they have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for money or prizes, sold or transferred to other players. Buying or selling chips outside the game is prohibited.
Can my opponent be the computer?
If no other player is waiting, an empty seat may be filled after a few seconds with a computer-controlled player so the game starts without delay. Computer players follow the same rules and timer, cannot see the dice in advance, carry a fixed Elo rating and never win anything of real value.
How do I delete my account?
In the app, Profile › Delete my account. Without access to the app, use the web form. Your account is shared by all North Sultan games, so deleting it also deletes your progress in the other games.