Find HS Code and trade information for backgammon

Backgammon is a two-player board game with a history stretching back over 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest known board games. It combines elements of both strategy and luck, and is played with dice.

Material

• Board: A backgammon board consists of 24 narrow triangles called points. These points alternate in color and are arranged in two halves, each belonging to one player.
• Checkers: Each player has 15 checkers, typically made of wood, plastic, or stone, in contrasting colors (often black and white or red and white).
• Dice: Two standard six-sided dice are used to determine the movement of checkers.
• Doubling Cube: A cube marked with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 is used to raise the stakes of the game.
• Cups (Optional): Dice cups are sometimes used to shake and roll the dice.

Purpose

The goal of backgammon is to be the first player to move all fifteen checkers off the board.

Function

Players move their checkers around the board based on the roll of the dice, attempting to form blocks, hit opponents' checkers, and ultimately bear off their own checkers. The game involves tactical maneuvering, risk assessment, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Gameplay

1. Setup: Each player begins with fifteen checkers arranged on specific points on the board.
2. Rolling & Moving: Players take turns rolling two dice. The numbers rolled determine how many points a player can move their checkers.
3. Movement Rules: Checkers move in opposite directions around the board. A checker can move to any open point, or to a point occupied by one or more of the player’s own checkers.
4. Hitting: If a single opponent's checker occupies a point, it can be "hit" by landing on that point. The hit checker is removed from the board and placed on the bar.
5. Entering from the Bar: Checkers on the bar must be re-entered onto the board on the opponent’s home board before any other checkers can be moved.
6. Bearing Off: Once all a player’s checkers are in their home board, they can begin "bearing off" checkers by rolling dice and removing checkers from the board.
7. Doubling: At the start of their turn, a player can offer to "double" the stakes of the game. The opponent can either accept or reject the double.
8. Winning: The first player to bear off all fifteen checkers wins the game.

Usage Scenarios

Backgammon is played in a variety of settings:

• Casual Play: Often enjoyed as a social game among friends and family.
• Tournaments: Backgammon is a competitive game with organized tournaments held worldwide.
• Online Play: Numerous websites and apps allow players to compete against others online.
• Pubs & Cafes: Frequently found in establishments as a social game option.

Common Types/Variations

• English Backgammon: The most common form, where the game ends when one player bears off all their checkers.
• American Backgammon: Similar to English Backgammon, but with variations in scoring.
• Turkish Backgammon (Tavla): A popular variation with different rules for doubling and gammon values.
• Gioul (Greek Backgammon): Another variation with unique rules and scoring.
• Backgammon Blitz: A fast-paced version with time limits.

Backgammon is a board game typically played with fifteen pieces per player, moved around a board according to the roll of dice. It involves strategic movement and tactical blocking to be the first player to remove all pieces from the board.

The following HS codes are relevant to backgammon, based on the provided reference material:

• 9504906000: This HS code falls under Chapter 95, which covers toys, games, and sports equipment. Specifically, it covers “Video game consoles and machines, table or parlor games, including pinball machines, billiards, special tables for casino games and automatic bowling equipment, amusement machines operated by coins, banknotes, bank cards, tokens or by any other means of payment.” The subheading 906000 further specifies “Other” within this category, including chess, checkers, parchisi, backgammon, darts and other games played on boards of a special design, and parts thereof. The total tax rate is 30.0% (0.0% base tariff, 0.0% additional tariff, and 30.0% additional tariff effective April 2, 2025).
• 3926901000: This HS code falls under Chapter 39, covering plastics and articles thereof. Specifically, it covers “Other articles of plastics and articles of other materials of headings 3901 to 3914”, with the subheading 901000 specifying “Buckets and pails”. While not directly backgammon, components could fall under this code if made of plastic. The total tax rate is 40.9% (3.4% base tariff, 7.5% additional tariff, and 30.0% additional tariff effective April 2, 2025).
• 3924905650: This HS code falls under Chapter 39, covering plastics and articles thereof. Specifically, it covers “Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and hygienic or toilet articles, of plastics”, with the subheading 905650 specifying “Other”. Components could fall under this code if made of plastic. The total tax rate is 40.9% (3.4% base tariff, 7.5% additional tariff, and 30.0% additional tariff effective April 2, 2025).