Backgammon Glossary – Learn the meaning to many backgammon terms.

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Glossary Of Backgammon Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
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Accept a Double
A.K.A. Take
To agree to an offer to continue playing at twice the current stakes.
Also see: Refuse a Double
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Ace
One, as designated by a rolled die.
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Acey-Deucey
A variation of Backgammon.
2. A dice roll of 1-2.
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Active Builder
A checker free to move to make another point.
Also see: Builder
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Advanced Anchor
A.K.A. Forward Anchor.
An anchor on one’s opponent’s 4-point or 5-point.
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Anchor
A point made within your opponent’s inner board.
Also see: Advanced Anchor
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Attacking Game
A.K.A. Blitz; Wipeout
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Automatic Doubles
A.K.A. Automatics.
A discretionary rule of backgammon that introduces the doubling cube to the game turned to 2 provided both players turn up the same number while rolling for the opening move. Typically limited to one per game.
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Awkward Numbers
A dice roll that forces a player to break a point or abandon a shot.
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Back Game
A.K.A. Backgame.
A potential defensive strategy when holding two or more points on your opponent’s inner board.
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Back Man
A.K.A. Back Runner.
Name given to a checker in one’s opponent’s inner board.
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Backgammon
The game, derived from the Roman tabula.
A completed game in which the winner’s opponent has a single checker in the winner’s home board.
Also see: Triple Game
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Bar
A.K.A. Rail; Roof
The name given to the raised divider between the inner and outer tables of the backgammon board, not counted as a point or space.
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Bar-Point
Name given to the points beside the bar in the outer boards, i.e. the 7-point and 18-point.
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Bear In
Moving one’s checkers into one’s inner board as the step before bearing off.
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Bear Off
A.K.A. Eat; Move Off; Peel; Take Off; Throw Off
To remove a checker from one’s inner table, as determined by a dice roll.
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Bear On
Within six points of. A checker on your 24 point bears on points 18 through twenty-three.
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Beaver
When using the doubling cube, to instantly redouble the number on the cube after accepting a double. The player then retains possession of the doubling cube.
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Blitz
A.K.A. Wipeout
From the German for lightning.
A persistent attacking of opponent’s blots, with the intention of closing out.
A quick-paced tournament consisting of short matches and eliminations.
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Block
A point with two or more checkers, kept inactive to slow one’s opponent.
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Blockade
A series of blocks designed to besiege one’s opponent’s runners. The ideal blockade is called a prime.
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Blocking Game
A game strategy which uses blockades as its primary tactic.
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Blot
A single checker on a point, distinguished for its vulnerability to being hit.
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Board
The physical game board itself.
Any one of the four quadrants of six points defining the boundaries of play: one’s home and outer boards, and one’s opponent’s home and outer boards.
As a verb, to make a board is to close all of the points in one’s home board.
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Boxcars
A.K.A. Boxes
A two-die roll of double sixes (6-6).
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Break
To dismantle, interfere with, render inoperative, sabotage, mess up, trash, cause pandemonium.
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Break a Point
To move a checker leaving a blot on the point. The made point, now broken, is vulnerable.
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Break a Prime
To move a checker leaving a blot on one point of a prime. The prime, with one broken point is itself broken.
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Break One's Board
To move a checker leaving a broken point in one’s made board. With one broken point, the made board is itself broken.
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Broken Prime
Five out of six points are made, the sixth is empty of checkers.
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Build One's Board
To make the points in one’s own home board.
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Builder
A checker that designates a point on and around which to add supporting checkers.
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Bump
To hit a blot, thereby sending it to the bar.
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Bury a Checker
To render a blot powerless by keeping it deep within one’s own home board.
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Candlesticks
An arrangement of many checkers stacked long on but a few points.
Also see: Stack
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Cast
A.K.A. Roll The Bones
To throw the die.
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Catchers
A term applied to checkers which are spread widely across the board to increase the odds of hitting an opponent’s blot.
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Centered Cube
The position of the doubling cube before the opening roll, halfway between one and one’s opponent with 64 facing upwards, representing the initial stake of 1.
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Chase
To play recklessly, particularly when offering and accepting the doubling cube, in hopes of quickly recovering losses.
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Checker
A.K.A. Counter; Man; Piece; Stone; Token
A single playing piece, typically a round disc. Each player uses one of two discretely-colored pieces. The pieces are moved according to die rolls according to the rules of play.
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Checker Play
The particular movement of playing pieces according to the roll of the dice.
A player’s skill in moving checkers.
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Chouette
From the French for barn owl
A variation of Backgammon for three or more players. The box, a player restricted to a single board against the remaining players who form a team with a captain.
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Cinque-Point
From the French for five-point, a traditional title.
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Clean Play
Any move completed according to the rules.
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Clear a Point
To remove all of the checkers from any given point.
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Close Out
A tactic by which one creates a prime in one’s home board, while one’s opponent has one or more checkers on the bar.
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Closed Board
A home board in which all six points are closed/blocked.
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Closed Point
A.K.A. Block; Anchor
A point rendered inaccessible by having two or more checkers on it.
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Cocked Dice
A term for dice that do not land flatly on the rolling surface (i.e. the half of the board to one’s right). The roll is nullified, and the dice re-rolled.
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Combination Shot
A tactic in which the combined total of both dice are necessary for one to hit one’s opponent’s blot.
Any play of a single piece using the combined total of both dice.
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Comeback Shot
Hitting one’s opponent’s blot from the bar, or within a turn, of having been hit oneself.
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Connected Position
An arrangement of checkers in which they are located in close proximity to one another.
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Contain a Checker
To impede one’s opponent from moving a blot to their own side of the board. This typically involves blocking and hitting.
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Control a Point
To have two or more pieces on any given point, thereby exempting its use from one’s opponent.
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Cover a Blot
A.K.A. Book a Checker; Secure a Point
To move a second checker onto a point, thereby making it.
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Crawford Rule
For John R. Crawford
In match play: a rule of play. If a player wins a match by one point, the next game is played without the doubling cube. The game following is.
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Cube Action
The course of play that focuses on risk analysis and decisions to double, accept, refuse or beaver.
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Cube Decision
Either the cube’s owner doubles or doesn’t, or the opponent accepts, refuses, or beavers. Those are the decisions.
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Cube Play
The act of offering the doubling cube and the resultant cube decision.
A player’s skill in using the doubling cube.
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Dead Checker
AKA. Dead Man
A playing piece buried deep in one’s home board, where it is ineffectual.
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Dead Cube
AKA. Frozen Cube
A term applied to the doubling cube when there is no further reason to double the stakes.
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Deep Anchor
A point occupied by two or more of one’s checkers on one’s opponent’s 1-point or 2-point.
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Deuce
Two, as a die roll. (1 + 1)
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Dice
Singular: Die
Any number of rolling cubes, two in Backgammon, numbered with pips on each of six sides.
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Dice Combination
The sum total of all possible results of two rolled dice is thirty-six.
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Dice Cup
Typically an open-ended container in which the dice are shaken to minimize player influence on the dice roll.
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Die
Plural : Dice
A single rolling cube numbered with pips on each of its six sides.
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Direct Hit
A hit by which only one die had been required.
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Direct Range
Vulnerable to being hit by the number of a single die, i.e. a blot within six points of one’s opponent.
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Direct Shot
The opportunity to hit one’s opponent’s blot with the roll of but one die.
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Double
An offer made by one player to their opponent in which the stakes for which the game are played are multiplied by two, and if accepted, control of the doubling cube is passed. If the offer is refused, the game is forfeited at the current stakes.
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Double Hit
AKA. Double Bump
To move one or two checkers so as to land on two of one’s opponent’s blots in one turn.
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Double Shot
(& Double Direct Shot)
- A blot vulnerable to being hit by two different means.
- Two blots, either of which can be hit by one means.
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Doubling Cube
AKA. Cube, Doubler, Doubling Block
A six-figured polyhedron, inscribed numerically on each side, as 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, to indicate the stakes for which the game is current being played.
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Doubling On The Come
An offer of a double in hopes of a fortuitous roll of the dice.
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Draw
The means by which opponents are determined or given byes in tournament play.
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Drop
AKA. Pass
To refuse a double, forfeiting the game at current stakes.
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Drop-Take
In chouette: a strategic move when offered a double a double by the box, in which one player accepts the double, the other refuses, and they will share their winnings or losses.
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Edge of a Prime
The empty point immediately in front of a prime.
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End Game
The final moves of a game, begun when the first player to bear off a checker.
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Enter
AKA. Come In
to move one’s checker from the bar onto one’s opponent’s home board, provided that there is an open point. A player must enter all of their checkers before any other move may be made.
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Escape
To escape past one’s opponent’s blockade, particularly in your opponent home or outer board, and to evade one’s opponents attempts to hit your blot.
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Exposed Checker
A term for a blot within range of a direct hit from one’s opponent.
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Field Goal
A term for the specific situation in which two of one’s opponents checkers are within range of a hit and one’s roll lands them in one of the two empty points between them.
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Five Point
The fifth point of one’s home board, as counted from the outside edge to the bar. Of significance for its strategic advantage throughout the game.
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Forced Play
A dice roll that allows for but a single legal move (but there’s no accounting for cheating).
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Four-Point
The fourth point of one’s home board, as counted from the edge towards the bar.
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Freeze-Out Match
An alternative means of determining stakes to match play with the doubling cube with an agreed-upon fixed buy-in.
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Full Prime
AKA. Solid Prime
Six consecutive points, made by the same player, which prevent one’s opponent from moving any checkers past.
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Gammon
A game of backgammon that ends leaving one player with all of their checkers still on the board. The value of the doubling cube is double in the event of a gammon.
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Gammon Save
In match play, a particular situation in which winning a gammon has little value, but losing one is disproportionately costly.
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Gap
The unoccupied space(s) between either player’s made points.
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Go Out
In match play: to accumulate the required points to win.
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Golden Point
From Paul Magriel
A term attributed to one’s opponent’s 5-point, significant for its strategic value as a location as an anchor.
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Heavy Point
A made point with four or more checkers on it.
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Hedge
An agreement between players, usually made towards the final rounds, to award the defeated player a portion of the winnings.
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Hit
AKA. Knock Off, Take Up
When one land’s on an opponent’s blot sending it to the bar.
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Hit & Split
A move by which one hits one’s opponent’s blot, then splitting one’s runners. This is significant for its two-part tactic, the first is to hit the closest checker, thereby allowing the split to occur without undue threat.
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Hit And Cover
A move by which one hits one’s opponent’s blot, then moves on to a safe blocking point.
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Holding Game
A strategy used to impede one’s opponent from bearing off ahead of oneself.
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Holding Point
In a Holding Game, the point held, typically the 4-point, 5-point or bar-point.
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Home Board
AKA. Home, Inner Board, Inner Table
The quadrant of the backgammon board to which one move’s one’s checkers in order to bear them off. The points are numbered 1 through 6.
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Illegal Move
A move that doesn’t accord with the numbers as determined by the rolled dice. The error can be accepted or corrected. The opportunity to correct the error lasts until the next dice roll.
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Illegal Play
A play that doesn’t accord with the numbers as determined by the rolled dice. The error can be accepted or corrected. The opportunity to correct the error lasts until the next dice roll.
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Illegal Position
A position unreachable by any number or combination of legal plays. There is no opportunity to accept an illegal position.
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Indirect Hit
A hit which required both dice to accomplish.
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Indirect Shot
The chance to hit an opponent’s blot which requires the numbers on both dice.
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Initial Double
The first offer of a double, when the doubling cube is in its centre position.
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J
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Jacoby Rule
Used with Gammon Cube, named for Oswald Jacoby
An regulation that reduces gammons and backgammons’ score to a single game if neither player had offered a double.
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Jacquet
Once-popular French game: Opponents start at positions at opposite corners and move around the board in the same direction.
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JellyFish
In 1994, it became the first commercial neural-net backgammon program.
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K
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Key Point
The point necessary to complete a prime, whereby one’s opponent’s runners are trapped (the 4-, 5- and bar-point are most typically key).
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Kill A Checker
To move a blot deep within one’s own home board.
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Kill A Number
Creating a position in which a particular number on the rolled dice cannot be played.
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Last Roll Position
A position which allows for the game to be decided by the next roll. Significant as a marker to offer a double if you have more than 50% game winning chances, accept a double if one has greater than 25% game winning chances
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Legal Move
Any change of position of a checker as determined by the roll of the dice and defined by the rules of backgammon.
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Loaded Dice
A pair of dice designed, usually with uneven weight or facets, to favor particular rolls.
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Lover's Leap
A term used for an opening roll of 6-5, whereby a checker is moved from one’s opponent’s 1-point to your mid-point.
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Major Split
Moving one of two of one’s runners from one’s opponent’s 1-point to their 4-point or 5-point.
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Make A Point
AKA. Close a Point, Establish a Point, Lock Up a Point, Own a Point
To place two checkers upon a single point, significant as this prevents one’s opponent from occupying the space.
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Make One's Board
To move a final checker so as to have two or more checkers on each point of one’s home board.
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Man in the Box
In Chouette: The one player who plays alone against the others.
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Match
A competition in which a series of games are played between two opponents until a prearranged number of points is acquired, typically an odd number.
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Match Play
The rules of backgammon as used in competitive tournaments, whereby two competitors play a series of games until a prearranged number of points is acquired.
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Mid-Point
One’s 13-point, or one’s opponent’s 12-point, significant as having five of one’s checkers at the start of the game.
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Middle Game
The predominant sequence of moves in a game, as determined by the players having decided upon an initial game plan.
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Minor Split
Moving one of two of one’s runners from one’s opponent’s 1-point to their 2-point or 3-point.
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Mixed Roll
Two rolled dice where both faces show different numbers.
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Move
The change in position of a checker according to the rolled dice as per the rules of backgammon. There are three legal moves:
1)enter a checker from the bar
2)displace a checker to an open point, a point with any number of one’s checkers, or a point with an opponent’s blot
3)bear a checker off
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Move Around the Corner
To change a checker’s position from one’s opponent’s outer board to one’s own outer board.
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Move Out
To change a checker’s position from one’s opponent’s home board to one’s opponent’s outer board.
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On Roll
A term referring to the player whose turn it is.
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On the Bar
The location on the raised divider which bisects the board where blots are placed after having been hit.
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One-Point
AKA. Ace Point
Significant as the point farthest from the bar, deepest in the home board, closest to the bearing off point.
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Online Backgammon
A term for the body of backgammon play and resources accessible through the Internet.
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Open Point
A position on the board which one can occupy with a checker. Either there no checkers, or only an opponent’s blot.
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Opening Game
AKA. Early Game
The preliminary moves in a game, in which the players feel each other out and determine a strategy.
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Opening Roll
The initial toss of one die by each player, in order to determine which player goes first, and by how many spaces. Doubles do not count, and the dice are rolled anew.
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Outer Board
The part of the playing space from one’s 7-point to 12-point.
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Outside Prime
Any six adjacent points occupied with two or more of the same player’s checkers, in which most are in the outer board.
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Own The Cube
AKA. Control the Cube
To have most recently accepted the doubling cube. This denotes control over the next augmentation in the stakes.
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Partial Prime
Five or fewer of Six consecutive points made by the same player.
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Pick and Pass
AKA. Bump and Pass, Bump and Run, Hit and Pass, Hit and Run
A play by the roll of the dice that allows a player to hit an opponent’s blot, then continue to a made point.
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Pip
One of the dots representing the number on each side of a die. The difference between any two point numbers uses pips as units.
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Pip Count
The sum total number of points that a player must move his checkers in order to bear them off.
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Point
Any one of the twenty-four triangles composing the playing space of a backgammon board, significant for designating areas where checkers may move in competitive play, the base unit for scoring.
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Position
A checker’s location on a backgammon board relative to all of the other playing pieces.
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Precision Dice
Term applied to rolling cubes designed and cut specifically to create a more accurate results.
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Prime
Six consecutive points made by any single player.
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Primed
A situation by which one cannot move one’s checker past one’s opponent’s prime.
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Priming Game
A game strategy in which the primary tactic is to build a prime in order to trap prevent one’s opponent from moving their checkers past.
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Pure Play
A smooth execution of a Priming Game, whereby one brings builders in quickly, slots to make key points, and keeps checkers in front of one’s opponent’s.
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Pure Race
A situation in a game where both opponents are clear of one another, and move to the home board to start the End Game.
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Quadrant
Any one of the four sections of the playing area of a backgammon board, defined by points 1 to 6, 7 to 12, 12 to 18 and 19 to 24, respectively.
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Quads
Term for a roll of double 4s (4-4).
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Quatre-Point
From French: The 4-point, traditionally
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Race
The players’ relative standing as determined by pip counts. The player with a lower pip count is ahead in the race.
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Rake
The fee collected by the house, typically a web play site, which is typical of money games online. The rake is a percentage of the winnings of each game in most cases.
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Rating
A numerical score attributed to players based on their win-loss record against other players with such a number. Significant for its use in assessing players’ relative skill.
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Re-Double
Any double in the game after the first, which means that a double must be accepted in order for a player to redouble.
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Re-Enter
To move a checker from the bar back into play.
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Refuse A Double
To decline an offer to continue playing at twice the current stakes, forfeiting the game at current stakes.
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Resign
To forfeit the game.
In Match Play:
One must specify whether one is forfeiting a single game, a gammon, or a backgammon, with the agreement of one’s opponent.
In tournament play:
Resignation cannot occur before contact is broken.
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Roll
a) to throw a pair of dice
b)the resulting numbers on a pair of thrown dice
c) a fortuitous series of dice numbers allowing one player to pull ahead steadily.
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Roll A Prime
To move six sequential points blocked by one player by one point by moving the checkers from the rear to the front.
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Roll Out
To observe the possibilities of a move by playing it over and over again.
To estimate a position’s equity as determined by a computer simulation.
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Roll Over
Players have a single opportunity per game to reroll one’s own dice, or to ask for a reroll of one’s opponent’s dice.
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Rollout
The estimate of a position’s equity as determined by a computer simulation, typically using numerous trials to determine an average.
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Run
a) To move one’s runner from one’s opponent’s home board and towards one’s own as swiftly as possible.
b) A series of consecutive victories.
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Runner
a) one of either of the two checkers which begin the game one one’s opponent’s 1-point.
b) Any checker in one’s opponent’s home board, or on the bar.
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Running Game
a) strategy by which one’s only strategy becomes focused on moving checkers to the home board and bearing them off as quickly as possible. Consider it when you’re ahead in the game.
b) The portion of the game as signified by the disengagement of one’s checkers from one’s opponents’.
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Safe Play
Any play which, upon completion, leaves no blots, or at least none in vulnerable positions.
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Safety a Checker
To move one’s blot out of range of being hit.
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Safety Up
To remove a blot from danger, either by covering it, or moving it out of range of being hit.
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Sandbag
a) To misrepresent your skill
b) To enter a tournament in a division below your skill level
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Save Backgammon
To move all of one’s checkers off of one’s opponent’s home board before they have borne off all of their checkers.
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Save Gammon
To bear off the first of one’s checkers before one’s opponent has finished bearing off all of theirs.
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Shot
a) an opportunity to hit one’s opponent’s blot.
b) A specific roll of the dice allowing for one’s opponent’s blot to be hit.
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Single Game
A single game of backgammon, in which both players have borne off at least one checker. The game is awarded according to the value of the doubling cube.
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Single Shot
A single blot which can only be directly hit by one means.
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Six-Point
The point adjacent to the bar in one’s homeboard.
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Slot
To place a blot on a point with the intention of covering it on the next turn.
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Slot and Split
To place one’s blot with the intention of covering it next turn in one’s home board while one’s runners are split.
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Snake
Variant: One player uses nine checkers on the bar, the remaining six in one’s opponent’s home board.
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Snake Eyes
A roll of double 1s (1-1).
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Snowie
A commercial neural-net backgammon program.
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Spare Checker
A checker that can be used to either hit or make a point without leaving a blot behind.
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Split
To separate two checkers from the same point creating two blots.
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Stack
Any pile of four or more checkers on a single point.
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Starting Position
AKA. Board Layout, Board Setup, Setup
The allocation of both players’ checkers on the board before the opening roll.
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Steaming
AKA. On Tilt
A type of reckless play resulting from a player’s charged emotion, usually accompanied with frustration, impatience and irritation.
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Strip a Point
To move all of one’s checkers but two, from a single point.
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Stripped
Devoid of builders or spare checkers, and prone to awkward numbers.
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Suicide Play
A tactic by which a blot is left intentionally to be hit. Typically used to improve one’s timing, or shore up defenses in one’s opponent’s home board.
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Take Point
The minimum number of game winning chances left to a player at which there is reason to accept a double.
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Three-Point
In one’s home board, the third point as counted from the edge of the board towards the rail.
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Throw
To shake and roll a pair of dice onto a backgammon board.
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Touch Down
To temporarily land on an intermediate open point after playing one of two numbers with the same checker.
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Touch Move Rule
Once one has touched a checker, that checker must be moved, and once one has removed one’s hand, the checker must remain until next turn.
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Trap Play
A game tactic in which one attempts to squeeze one’s opponent off of their anchor. Significant in allowing one to use a trapper to close out any blots. Used to win a gammon.
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Trey-Point
The third point in one’s home board as counted from the edge of the board towards the bar.
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Two-Point
AKA. Deuce Point
The second point in one’s home board as measured from the edge of the playing board towards the bar.
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Under The Gun
A single blot, on one’s opponent’s home board, within range of three or more of their builders.
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Wash
a) used in blitzing: a tactic in which points are switched in order to hit one’s opponent’s blot
b) A settlement for no points.
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