Best Opening Rolls
A game of backgammon commences when each player’s position is determined by the roll of the dice. The player with the highest total will take the first turn. If players score the same total, the dice are rolled again until a clear winner emerges. This is where strategic thinking takes place. Analysis dictates that the opening rolls can yield only 15 possible results. The following recommended checker moves based on opening rolls are outlined below and are based on the standard notation of pips used in backgammon - 1 to 24. Accordingly, 14/8 represents a checker being moved from the 14th point on the board to the 8th.
Opening Roll: 6-5
Getting a five and a six on your first roll of the dice gives you a definite advantage if you know how to make the most of opportunities. This move is dubbed the “Lover’s Leap” as it allows you to move one of your back checkers to your mid point away from your opponent’s home board (24/13).
Opening Roll: 6-4
When you roll a six and a four, you have three possible choices to make:
One option is to make two separate moves (8/6, 6/2). This move is particularly popular when playing online backgammon.
Your second option is to adopt an aggressive strategy and use the six you’ve rolled to achieve the 24/18 move which will slot your opponent’s bar point. The four you’ve rolled can be used to create a builder at point 13/9. While this can seem risky, it sets up your checkers to create blocking points for your next roll. And if you’re lucky enough to roll another six on your next turn, you can anchor your opponent’s 19 or seven point.
Your final choice should only be used as a last resort. You can use the dice to move your checker 24/14 or back towards your home board. While this move may save your checker, it lacks value in backgammon and is usually only played in single games.
Opening Roll: 6-3
If you’re feeling bold, you can use this opening roll to move your checkers 24/18 and 13/10. This allows you to create a builder which can help you with the setting up of prime and blocking points as your game progresses. This move can also help to cushion your checker on the 18th point if it’s hit. However, most newcomers to backgammon may understandably opt for the safer choice this opening roll gives, which is moving 24/18 for safe and relatively risk-free play. Some may decide to continue the move to the 15th point, which is less effective than moving your checker 13/10.
Opening Roll: 6-2
By rolling a six and a two you can move 24/18 to attack the bar point belonging to your opponent. Most players new to backgammon may use the total to move a back checker to the 16 point. However, attacking your opponent by creating a builder at 13/11 to block any of his future attempts to make a prime is a far more effective strategy.
Opening Roll: 6-1
If you want to create a larger prime and a blocking point to prevent your opponent from moving his checkers back toward his home board, you can make a bar point, or a seven point as it is otherwise known. This is the best possible move you can make if the dice land on six and one.
Opening Roll: 5-4
Your first move if you roll a five and a four is to move your checker 13/8. This helps you create a builder that will enable you to add blocking points in your area of the board. You should also move 24/20 to set up a move that depending on whether a four is rolled on your next turn, will create an anchor in your opponent’s territory. This move gives you a sound basis for attacking your opponent on either side of the backgammon board. If you need a gammon, you can avoid splitting up your back checkers by substituting the move 13/8 with 13/9.
Opening Roll: 5-3
The best possible moves for this opening roll is 8/3 and 6/3. The home board three point is considered by many strategists to be the strongest position for this roll.
Opening Roll: 5-2
If you roll a five and a two, the move recommended by many experts is to drop one checker from the mid-point, thereby splitting your back checkers. This move 13/8 and 24/22 ensures that you have enough attacking checkers on the board for a more aggressive strategy later on. It also sets up the 22 point to act as an anchor in your opponent’s home board.
If you favor adopting an even more aggressive stance at this stage in the game, you could use the five and two to drop two checkers from your mid-point. This move will help you to win more gammons. However, your opponent can still evade your attack if his next roll helps him to evacuate his back checkers.
Opening Roll: 5-1
While this move is admittedly controversial, its worth has been confirmed by backgammon computer simulations. Moving 13/8 and 24/23 will help you prepare your back checkers to be used as an anchor or alternatively, splitting them will enable a faster escape. Moving 6/5 using the one in the roll would help you gain an extra gammon if it was crucial.
Opening Roll: 4-3
Three choices are available if you roll a four and a three. The most appropriate will be determined by your chosen strategy and your performance in the game so far.
The first move to consider is 13/9 and 13/10. This will increase your attacking potential and more than makes up for the fact that you’ve decreased your mid-point by losing two checkers. The next roll will help you to begin a prime providing your opponent does not hit you in return.
Alternatively, you can move 13/9 and 24/21 which offers a more balanced attack. The 24/21 allows you to create an anchor slot. Using this move at opening rolls is widely thought to help win single games more often when gammons are not an issue.
Thirdly, you can use the rolls to move 24/20 and 13.10. This is highly favored by beginner players but lacks the attacking strategy used in the above two moves. The aim is to create an advanced anchor on the five point belonging to your opponent.
Opening Roll: 4-2
If you roll a four and a two, the best move is to send two of your checkers to the four point on your home board. This is a blocking move and one of the most common adopted by new players.
Opening Roll: 4-1
Rolling a four and a one for opening rolls gives you two options. The first is 13/9 and 24/23, which effectively allows you to plan a quick escape for your back checkers. This move is often referred to as “drop and split” play. Alternatively, you could slot your home board’s five point while simultaneously placing a building on your nine point. This move (13/9 and 6/5) is an offensive one with the aim of generating home board points in your next turn.
Opening Roll: 3-2
If you roll a three and a two, you have two possible moves recommended for opening rolls. The one you choose should be based upon the score of the game and on your knowledge of your opponent’s backgammon skills.
The first move (13/10 and 13.11) is the most aggressive and is recommended if you want to keep your opponent firmly under pressure. The move allows you to set up a blocking point that can be completed with your next roll.
An alternative move is to split and drop, which sets up a blocking point 13/11. A back checker moved 24/21 provides the first steps to creating an anchor in your opponent’s board.
Opening Roll: 3-1
Moving 8/5 and 6/5 gives you full control of the five point in your home board. This gives you free rein to use the five point as a priming and blocking point while cutting off your opponent’s easy escape route. This is a highly popular move as both the bar point (seven) and the five point are valuable areas of the board to have control over.
Opening Roll: 2-1
If you roll a two and a one and you’re feeling confident, you can move 13/11 and 6/5 to slot your home board five point. If you’re lucky enough not to be hit by your opponent, you can use your next turn to start building a prime on your home board.
If you would rather opt for the play it safe approach, you can move 13/11 and 24/23. New players often favor this move for its simple use in single games where gammons and backgammons are not a crucial issue.