Backgammon Strategy - Build Better Positions
Improve at backgammon by making points, avoiding blots, timing the race, using the bar, and bearing off accurately.
Check both dice orders before committing the move.
Make points before racing
Two checkers on a point close it to the opponent. Build connected points and avoid loose blots.
Use the bar as tempo
A checker on the bar must enter before anything else moves. Blocking entry turns one hit into lost tempo.
Know when to run
When contact disappears and checkers are safe, compare pip counts and turn the game into a race.
Bear off with flexibility
Spread checkers across useful distances so one final checker does not need a perfect roll.
Backgammon FAQ
- Can I use one die only?
- Only when the other is not legal; if one ordinary die can be used, use the higher one.
- What happens after a hit?
- The checker goes to the bar and must re-enter first.
- Can I bear off with a high roll?
- Yes, only when no checker remains farther from the exit.
- Is there a doubling cube?
- No. This board has normal, gammon, and backgammon scoring but no cube.
Practice
Use the live board to test one decision at a time.