A Successful Backgammon Strategy: How to Think Each Turn
Most experienced players agree that a game plan matters more than any single trick. But a plan is only useful if you apply it on every roll. The players who improve fastest are not those who memorize the most positions, but those who build a steady habit of thinking before they move. Here is a simple routine you can use on each turn.
1. Before you roll: take stock
Use your opponent's turn to look at the board. Who is ahead in the race? Who has the stronger home board? Are any checkers trapped, and whose? Two quick comparisons, the race and the boards, tell you most of what you need to know about the position. In match play, also think about the cube now, before you roll, since you can only double at the start of your turn.
2. Count the race when it matters
You do not need an exact pip count on every turn, but you should know roughly who is ahead. At the start, both sides have 167 pips to go, and an average roll moves about 8.17 pips. A lead of around ten percent of the remaining count is usually a significant edge in a pure race. If you are well ahead, aim for a race; if you are behind, keep contact and look for a shot.
3. Read the threats
Ask what your opponent wants to do next. Is he about to make a key point, close his board or escape a back checker? A move that stops his best plan is often worth more than one that improves your own position slightly.
4. List the candidate moves
Once the dice are rolled, do not play the first move that comes to mind. Find two or three reasonable candidates. Most rolls offer a small number of sensible options: make a point, hit, run, or bring builders into play. Writing them down mentally takes a few seconds and prevents most careless errors.
5. Compare them quickly
For each candidate, ask three questions:
- What does it gain? A new point, a hit, an escaped checker, better distribution.
- What does it risk? How many rolls hit the blots it leaves, and how much does being hit cost? A blot six pips away is hit by 17 of 36 rolls; one eight pips away by 6.
- What comes next? Does it leave good rolls for your next turn, or does it leave your checkers stacked and awkward?
6. Choose and move on
Pick the move with the best balance and play it. Do not agonize over close decisions; the difference between two reasonable moves is often small, and time spent on one close call is better spent watching for the big errors.
Building the habit
At first this routine feels slow. Within a few dozen games it becomes automatic, and you will notice that you lose fewer games to obvious mistakes. To make the habit stick:
- Play slowly at first, against a program or a friend who does not mind waiting.
- After each session, review the games and look for moments when you skipped a step.
- Learn the standard opening moves, so that your thinking time goes to the positions that need it.
- Read about the main game plans, so that you can recognize what kind of position you are in.
Practice does make perfect, but only practice with attention. For the principles behind each step, see basic strategy, backgammon tips and our guide to choosing the right game plan.