Nardy for iPhone Duo

Nardy is backgammon for iPhone by Artem Novichkov, with two games on one board: Long Narde, the classic of the Caucasus and Central Asia, with no hitting and a race of blocks, and Short Narde, the backgammon most of the world knows, with hitting, the bar and gammons. The rules are built in and only legal moves are allowed. Play a friend on one phone, or the computer at three levels; with Apple Intelligence, the computer comments on its moves, on the device. There are hints, several boards (walnut, mahogany, felt, neon and a high-contrast one) and a dice widget. It’s free with no ads; Nardy Pro, a one-time purchase, adds the hard opponent and unlimited hints.

On iPhone Duo, the developer says, the fold falls where a backgammon board folds. Half open, the fold is the bar, and a snap of the hinge throws the dice. Open flat, the board spreads across both halves with the bar on the hinge, and closing the phone mid-game moves play to the cover. Artem’s launch video shows these layouts on a rendered phone.