Backgammon Strategy for Beginners

Dice decide a lot in backgammon, but good checker play decides more over a few games. The key ideas are making points, hitting at the right time and not leaving easy shots.

Make points, especially in your home board

Two or more of your checkers on a point make it safe and block your opponent from landing there. The most valuable points are your 5-point and your 4-point — they block your opponent’s back checkers and help you hit later.

Classic opening moves do exactly this: a roll of 3-1 makes your 5-point, 6-1 makes your bar point, and 4-2 makes your 4-point.

Count the shots before leaving a blot

A single checker (a blot) can be hit and sent to the bar. When you must leave one, leave it where your opponent needs an unlikely number: a blot six or fewer points away from an enemy checker can be hit by a single die, so it is much more exposed than one seven or more away.

Hit when it gains you ground

Hitting costs your opponent the pips that checker had travelled and forces them to re-enter before doing anything else. It’s especially strong when your home board has several closed points, because the hit checker may not get back in at all.

Build a prime

Six consecutive points in a row form a prime, which no checker can get past. Even four or five in a row trap your opponent’s back checkers while you bring everything else home.

Bear off efficiently

Once everything is home, take checkers off whenever you can, and fill empty high points rather than leaving gaps. If your opponent still has a checker behind you, avoid leaving blots while bearing off — being hit this late usually loses the game.

You must use as much of your roll as legally possible, which the game enforces — so plan ahead to avoid rolls that force you to break a point.

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