Backgammon Strategy

The opening roll sets the tone for the entire game. While there are 21 possible opening rolls, some are universally agreed upon by experts.

Best Opening Rolls

• 3-1: Make your 5-point. This is considered the best opening roll as it begins building a strong home board.
• 6-1: Make your bar point (7-point). This blocks the opponent's back checkers.
• 4-2: Make your 4-point. Another strong anchor in your home board.

Challenging Rolls

• 5-4, 5-3, 5-2: Move a back checker. These are less flexible and often debated.
• 6-5: The "Lover's Leap" - run one back checker from 24 to 13. Safe but passive.

A running game focuses on racing your checkers home as fast as possible. This strategy is best when you're ahead in the pip count.

• Avoid leaving blots in your home board
• Don't hit if it puts you behind in the race
• Clear back points in order when bearing off

A prime is a wall of consecutive blocked points. A 6-point prime is unpassable - the opponent must wait until you break it.

Building a Prime

• Start by securing your 5-point and 4-point
• Extend the prime outward toward the bar
• Keep at least one opponent checker trapped behind your prime

A blitz is an all-out attack, hitting everything in sight while rapidly building your home board. The goal is to close the opponent out.

• Hit multiple blots when possible to put pressure on the bar
• Prioritize making home board points over safety
• A full home board (6-point prime) with opponent on bar = huge advantage

A back game is a defensive strategy when you're behind. You hold two or more points in your opponent's home board, waiting to hit a checker late in the game.

Best Anchor Combinations

• 1-3: The 1-3 back game has the highest coverage
• 1-2: Very compact but effective
• 2-4: Good for timing, harder to enter

Your pip count is the total distance all your checkers need to travel to bear off. Knowing the pip count helps you decide whether to run or fight.

Quick Mental Counting

The starting pip count is 167 for each player. From there, add or subtract based on checker positions.