Backgammon opening moves

When we talk about backgammon opening moves we are talking about a highly disciplined phase of the game. There are only 15 possible rolls and for many of them there is only one correct way to play it. Later on you can take more freedom with your strategy but not now.

The opening moves are also explained in our downloadable version of Backgammon opening moves for easy printing, featuring also a handy quick reference guide. Note that the moves here are played and explained as if played with the white checkers. Also, should you be unfamiliar with backgammon notation, be sure to read our Backgammon notation article before reading on. It’ll help you better understand the content of this article.

Backgammon opening moves can be broadly divided into three categories: Point-making rolls, Splits and Running plays.

Point-making rolls

Point-making rolls are nothing else than rolls that enable you to make a point. These rolls give a great start for your game and are they allow you to make the most valuable moves in the very beginning. There are four point-making rolls: 3-1, 4-2, 6-1 and 5-3.

3-1 - the best opening roll

This roll is the best of all opening rolls. You can immediately make the 5-point, which is extremely important for two reasons: 1) You make a point on your home board 2) You make a blocking point. If you hit your oppononent at some point you have already made it more difficult for him to re-enter from the bar. By making the 5-point you quadrupled the number of dice throws that leave your opponent on the bar!Making the 5-point leaves you also an excellent chance for making a prime. With the next one or two rolls you might be able to make the 7-point and make it very difficult for your opponent to escape his back checkers.

There is no other correct way to play 3-1 than to make the 5-point with 8/5 and 6/5. Remember: the 5-point is vital!

4-2

With this roll you can make the 4-point with 8/4 and 6/4. This roll is nearly as good opening move as 3-1 and for the very same reasons. Although it is a little easier for your opponent to escape his checkers through the open 5-point, you certainly make the task much more difficult to him!

6-1

6-1 allows you to make a prime right in the beginning of the game by making the 7-point (also called the bar-point) with 13/7 and 8/7. In backgammon, primes are long blocks of consecutive points and six consecutive points is a full prime. The longer the prime the more difficult it is for your opponent to escape his checkers. Making a prime of three points early in the game, therefore, is a very good achievement.

5-3

Make the 3-point with 8/3 and 6/3. Although not the strongest opening move, you are still able to make a point on your home board and that’s almost never a bad move.

Split plays

Split plays are rolls where you can’t make a point and you are forced to split your checkers. Many of these moves leave your checkers vulnerable for hitting and therefore these opening moves advocate an aggressive play. But split plays also leave great opportunities for you to make points with the coming rolls and even though they might get hit, you are still in the beginning of the game and you don’t lose much even if they do get hit. Think of split plays as taking calculated risks in order to gain a lot a little later.

6-3

Split your back checkers with 24/18 and bring a man down from your 13-point (also know as mid-point) to your 10-point, 13/10. The idea here is to try to make the 18-point and so try to prevent your opponent building a blocking point on the 18-point. Although your checker at the 18-point is vulnerable and if it gets hit, you may hit him back with any six or seven the next turn.

The checker on the 10-point serves as building material in the next one or two rolls when trying to make the bar-point or a point on your home board.

6-2

This is very similar to 6-3 and the idea is exactly the same. Play 24/18 and 13/11.

5-1

Bring a checker from your 13-point down to your 8-point where it is safe. Then split your back checkers with the one, 24/23.

4-1

This is very similar to 5-1 and the idea is the same. Play 13/9 and 24/23.

2-1

2-1 is played the same way as 5-1 and 4-1. Play 13/11 and 24/23.

Note: It was previously thought that the best way to play the three previous opening moves was to place a checker on the 5-point with the goal of making the 5-point with the next round. Recent computer simulations, however, showed that leaving a checker that can be hit with a four or a combination totalling four is not the best play after all.

5-4

In this move you will play 13/8 and 24/20. With the five you bring in building power from your mid-point and with four you split your back checkers. By splitting your back checkers you will go for making the 20-point (i.e. the opponent’s 5-point) next turn. If you succeed, you are in a very good position escaping your back checkers.

5-2

Again, same as 5-4: play 13/8 and split your back checkers with 24/22.

4-3

You can play this throw in several different ways, we give you two options. You may either play 13/9 and 24/21 or 24/20 and 13/10. Both leave three blots, i.e. loose checkers left on purpose that the opponent can hit, but this move has great potential for the coming moves. And remember: even if they get hit, the game has just started and you could relatively easily hit back on your next turn.

3-2

We have two options for you here as well. You will need to leave blots in both moves, no doubt, but if you like to play in a slightly more conservative manner then play 24/21 and 13/11. This move creates both a chance to escape your back checker or go for making the 18-point and it also gives chance making either the bar-point or even your 5-point.

The slightly more daring move is to play 13/10 and 13/11. First it might look like a strange move and as if the blots would be even more exposed for hitting than normally, but in fact your opponent needs high numbers to be able to hit one of the two blots and if that doesn’t happen you have a fantastic chance to make a point the next turn. Calculated risk for great achievements.

Running plays

We have two opening moves left: 6-5 and 6-4. Both are called running plays because with both moves you take one back checker as far towards your home board as possible.

6-4

Run one of your checkers to the 14-point with 6-4, 24/14 with 6-4. You might also try experimenting a little by making the 2-point with 8/2 and 6/2.

6-5

Run on of your back checkers all the way to your mid-point with 24/13. Also referred to as the Lover’s Leap, is the better one of the two running plays because it doesn’t leave loose checkers. Sure, you’ll have six checkers on the mid-point, but in this case escaping a back checker into safety takes priority.

Final notes

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, backgammon opening moves are to be played with discipline with only minor room for improvisation.

Finally, take a look at the opening moves quick reference guide in our downloadable version of Backgammon opening moves article. It is a summary of this article and also includes a handy table with all opening roll moves and good alternatives. Keep the table at hand while you play as good opening moves lay a sound basis for your game and increase your chances for winning.