Backgammon articles

Short articles on single topics — read them in any order. For the basics, start with the rules and basic strategy.

• A Solid Grasp of Strategy: Winning the Opening and Early Game — Backgammon has luck, but skill decides it over time. Learn the key ideas of the opening and early middle game: best first moves, back checkers and blots.
• A Successful Backgammon Strategy: How to Think Each Turn — A winning backgammon strategy starts with a thinking habit. Use this simple routine every turn: count the race, read the threats, list candidates, then choose.
• Acey-Deucy: The Backgammon Variant Where Everyone Starts Off the Board — Acey-deucy rules explained: all checkers start off the board, how they enter, why the 1-2 roll is special, and opening strategy for this classic variant.
• Backgame Advice: Anchors, Timing and Knowing When to Hold — What a backgame really is, how it differs from holding and deep anchor games, which anchor pairs work best and why timing decides whether a backgame wins.
• Backgammon Accessories: A Guide to Boards, Dice, Cups and Cubes — A practical guide to backgammon equipment: board materials, travel sets, checkers, precision dice, baffled cups, the doubling cube and choosing a gift.
• Backgammon Champions — How backgammon's world title moved from 1960s Las Vegas and the Bahamas to Monte Carlo in 1979, and what the game's champions have in common at the board.
• Backgammon Directions: The Board, the Setup and Which Way to Move — Step-by-step backgammon directions: the board layout, point numbering, the starting setup, which way checkers move, hitting, entering and bearing off.
• Backgammon History: Myths and Many Names — Is backgammon the oldest game in the world? We sort myths from facts and follow the game's many names and versions from Persia to Greece, Turkey and Russia.
• Backgammon Playing Styles: Aggressive vs. Positional Play — Are you an attacker or a builder? Learn the strengths and weaknesses of aggressive and positional backgammon styles, and why strong players use both.
• Backgammon Rules Explained: The Details Beginners Miss — Backgammon rules explained in detail: rolling the dice, using both numbers, doubles, forced moves, when a turn ends, gammons and how match rules differ.
• Backgammon Software: The Features Worth Looking For — How to choose backgammon software: playing levels, match and cube options, hints, analysis, trustworthy dice and what GNU Backgammon and eXtreme Gammon offer.
• Backgammon Tournaments: Formats, Match Play and Key Rules — How backgammon tournaments work: match length, elimination and consolation brackets, scoring with the cube, the Crawford rule and what to expect at an event.
• Backgammon Tricks: Good Habits for a Better Game — Simple backgammon tricks for beginners: a routine before every move, counting shots, safe versus bold play, which points to make first and reading opponents.
• Basic Backgammon Strategy for New Players: Four Key Ideas — New to backgammon? Four ideas will improve your game right away: checker distribution, calculated exposure, blocking with points and hitting with purpose.
• Blocking in Backgammon: Points, Primes and Closed Boards — How blocking works in backgammon: making consecutive points, building and rolling a six-prime, closing your home board and how each block limits your opponent.
• Common Backgammon Terminology for New Players — The backgammon words you will hear in your first games, explained in context: points, blots, anchors, pip count, jokers, hit and cover, gammons and backgammons.
• Do You Really Know the Backgammon Rules? — Many casual players learned backgammon with a few house rules mixed in. Check yourself against the most common mistakes, from the opening roll to bearing off.
• Free Backgammon Software: What It Can Do for You — Free backgammon software lets you play strong bots, replay games and check your moves. Learn what to look for and how GNU Backgammon fits into your practice.
• How to Study Backgammon with Software: A Practical Routine — Analysis programs changed how players study backgammon. Learn a simple routine: review your matches, focus on big errors, use rollouts and drill key positions.
• Improve Your Backgammon Game: Choose the Right Game Plan — Running, priming, holding, backgame or blitz: most positions call for one main plan. Learn how to pick the right one and switch when the position changes.
• Learning Backgammon: A Step-by-Step Path for Beginners — Learning backgammon is easier in stages. Follow this path from setting up the board to pip counts, opening moves, bearing off and finally match play.
• Playing Backgammon Online: An Overview for New Players — Playing backgammon online means opponents at any hour, ratings and quick matches. Here is how it works, what to expect and how to make the most of it.
• Preparing for Backgammon Club Tournaments — How to prepare for a backgammon club tournament: thinking in match score, gammon danger, doubling near the end of a match, the Crawford game and club etiquette.
• The Fascinating History of Backgammon: Myths and Facts — Backgammon is often called 5,000 years old, but the real story is more interesting. We separate the popular myths from what historians can actually show.