Home :. Articles :. Backgammon Optimal Opening Moves
Remember how you decide which player makes the opening move? You and your opponent roll a single die. If you have the higher die roll - you go first. Then you use the numbers on the dice you have just rolled to determine your first move.
Now, if you think about it for a minute, you will realize tbackgammon has only fifteen such different possible combinations of your opening dice rolls.
The good news are, that today, after using not only personal skill but also computer programs, it is known what the optimal opening move is for every one of the fifteen possible combinations of the dice.
To radically increase your chances of winning, all you have to do is memorize the next moves:
A. Dice Combination Six and Five:
Move all the way across with a back checker (Twenty-four; Thirteen).
B. Dice Combination Six and Four: Either
Make your two-point (Eight and Two; Six and Two).
Or
Move all the across with a back checker to your fourteen-point (Twenty Four; Fourteen).
Or
Run a back checker to the opponent's bar-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Thirteen; Nine).
C. Dice Combination Six and Three:
Either
Move a checker from your twenty four-point to your fifteen-point.
Or
Move a checker to your opponent's bar-point to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) and (Thirteen; Ten).
D. Dice Combination Six and Two
Either
Move to the sixteen-point
Or
Move to the bar to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) and (Thirteen; Eleven).
E. Dice Combination Six and One:
Just go ahead and make your bar-point (Thirteen; Seven) and (Eight; Seven).
F. Dice Combination Five and Four:
Either
Move a back checker up (Twenty-four; Twenty) while you bring a checker down (Thirteen; Eight).
Or
Bring two checkers down from your mid-point (Thirteen; Eight) and (Thirteen; Nine).
G. Dice Combination Five and Three:
The best move for this option is basically to make three points (Eight; Three) and (Six; Three).
H. Dice Combination Five and Two:
Either:
Move a back checker up two spaces (Twenty-four; Twenty-two) while you bring one down (Thirteen; Eight)
Or
Bring down two checkers (Thirteen; Eight), (Thirteen; Eleven).
I. Dice Combination Five and One:
Either
Split the back checker and bring one checker down (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and (Thirteen; Eight).
Or
Bring on checker down and slot your 5-point (Thirteen; Eight) and (Six; Five)
J. Dice Combination Four and Three:
Either.
Move up three off your back point (Twenty-two; Twenty-one) and bring the four down from the mid-point (Thirteen; Nine)
Or
Another option is to move your checker down (Thirteen; Nine) plus (Twenty-four; Twenty-one).
Or
Drop two checkers down (Thirteen; Nine) and (Thirteen; Ten)
K. Dice Combination Four and Two:
The best move for this combination is no other than to make your four points (Eight; Four) and (Six; Four).
L. Dice Combination Four and One:
Either
Split the back checker (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and bring a checker down (Thirteen; Nine)
Or
Bring one checker down and slot your five point (Thirteen; Nine) and (Six; Five).
M. Dice Combination Three and Two:
Either
Move your checkers to (Thirteen; Ten) and (Thirteen; Eleven).
Or
Move up three off your back point (Twenty-four; Twenty-one) and bring the four down from the mid-point (Thirteen; Eleven).
N. Dice Combination Three and One:
Most recommended is to move your checkers to (Eight; Five) and (Six; Five).
O. Dice Combination Two and One: Either
Split your back checkers (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and bring one down (Thirteen; Eleven).
Or
Slot your home board five point (Thirteen; Eleven) and (Six; Five).
Backgammon Optimal Opening Moves
Here is another secret that will help you win more backgammon games!Remember how you decide which player makes the opening move? You and your opponent roll a single die. If you have the higher die roll - you go first. Then you use the numbers on the dice you have just rolled to determine your first move.
Now, if you think about it for a minute, you will realize tbackgammon has only fifteen such different possible combinations of your opening dice rolls.
The good news are, that today, after using not only personal skill but also computer programs, it is known what the optimal opening move is for every one of the fifteen possible combinations of the dice.
To radically increase your chances of winning, all you have to do is memorize the next moves:
A. Dice Combination Six and Five:
Move all the way across with a back checker (Twenty-four; Thirteen).
B. Dice Combination Six and Four: Either
Make your two-point (Eight and Two; Six and Two).Or
Move all the across with a back checker to your fourteen-point (Twenty Four; Fourteen). Or
Run a back checker to the opponent's bar-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Thirteen; Nine). C. Dice Combination Six and Three:
Either
Move a checker from your twenty four-point to your fifteen-point. Or
Move a checker to your opponent's bar-point to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) and (Thirteen; Ten). D. Dice Combination Six and Two
Either
Move to the sixteen-pointOr
Move to the bar to bring a checker down from your mid-point (Twenty Four; Eighteen) and (Thirteen; Eleven). E. Dice Combination Six and One:
Just go ahead and make your bar-point (Thirteen; Seven) and (Eight; Seven).
F. Dice Combination Five and Four:
Either
Move a back checker up (Twenty-four; Twenty) while you bring a checker down (Thirteen; Eight). Or
Bring two checkers down from your mid-point (Thirteen; Eight) and (Thirteen; Nine). G. Dice Combination Five and Three:
The best move for this option is basically to make three points (Eight; Three) and (Six; Three).
H. Dice Combination Five and Two:
Either:
Move a back checker up two spaces (Twenty-four; Twenty-two) while you bring one down (Thirteen; Eight) Or
Bring down two checkers (Thirteen; Eight), (Thirteen; Eleven). I. Dice Combination Five and One:
Either
Split the back checker and bring one checker down (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and (Thirteen; Eight). Or
Bring on checker down and slot your 5-point (Thirteen; Eight) and (Six; Five) J. Dice Combination Four and Three:
Either.
Move up three off your back point (Twenty-two; Twenty-one) and bring the four down from the mid-point (Thirteen; Nine) Or
Another option is to move your checker down (Thirteen; Nine) plus (Twenty-four; Twenty-one). Or
Drop two checkers down (Thirteen; Nine) and (Thirteen; Ten) K. Dice Combination Four and Two:
The best move for this combination is no other than to make your four points (Eight; Four) and (Six; Four).
L. Dice Combination Four and One:
Either
Split the back checker (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and bring a checker down (Thirteen; Nine) Or
Bring one checker down and slot your five point (Thirteen; Nine) and (Six; Five). M. Dice Combination Three and Two:
Either
Move your checkers to (Thirteen; Ten) and (Thirteen; Eleven). Or
Move up three off your back point (Twenty-four; Twenty-one) and bring the four down from the mid-point (Thirteen; Eleven). N. Dice Combination Three and One:
Most recommended is to move your checkers to (Eight; Five) and (Six; Five).
O. Dice Combination Two and One: Either
Split your back checkers (Twenty-four; Twenty-three) and bring one down (Thirteen; Eleven). Or
Slot your home board five point (Thirteen; Eleven) and (Six; Five).
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