Backgammon setup

[ikeaboy]

Hi all,

I am new to FIBS, but not new to Backgammon. I have a basic question which I cannot see answered in this forum, but I may have missed something. Sorry if this has been covered a gah-zillion times already. I know that the set-up for ordinary backgammon can be arranged for either clockwise or counterclockwise play, but I have never heard a rule about whether a player can choose a homeboard on the opposite side of the board, ie player x bears off on what would traditionally be player y's homeboard. I am asking since many phone apps allow you to chose all four options as your homeboard. The other day, I thought I would try this with a friend and he said it was not allowed, which seems odd to me -- why should the choice of homeboard make a difference as long as the checkers are set up properly for play in that direction? Maybe it is illegal, but considering all the variations on Backgammon that exist, that seems a bit odd. Can anyone answer this? Best, Ikeaboy.

[dorbel]

In the Plakoto variation of tavli, your home board is on the opposite side to normal, but why I don't know.