Backgammon: The Goal

Backgammon Strategies

The goal of Backgammon is to manage to move all the tokens up to the "Players Board" and then to extract them of the board. The player who manages to extract all his tokens off the board first, gains the game.

The Backgammon is a game for two players, develops on a board with 24 tops that represent triangles drawn in the board. The triangles alternate his colour and are grouped in four quadrants of six triangles each one. The quadrants are called boards, "the Player board", "Exterior board", "Opponent´s board " and "Exterior of the Opponent board". The "Board of the Player" and the "Exterior Board" are separated by an edge named "Bar".

The triangles are numbered for each of the players. Beginning from his "Board of the Player ", the triangle most removed from every player is the number 24, which is, in turn, the number one of the opponent.

Every player has 15 tokens of a colour. The initial order of the tokens is the following and it´s applied to both players:

2 tokens in the triangle n º 24

5 tokens in the triangle n º 13

3 tokens in the triangle n º 8

5 tokens in the triangle n º 6

Both players have a couple of dice and a glass for dice. They also have a doubling dice with the 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 numbers. That dice is used to keep a record of the level of the bet.

Movement of the cards

To begin every player throws a dice. The player who extracts the highest number, moves his tokens using the number that he extracted and that his opponent extracted. After the first issue, every player throws his two dice, once for shift. The shot of the dice indicates the number of tops the player can move over his tokens. The tokens always advances , moving them towards a triangle of minor number of which they are.

The following rules applies:

1. A token only can be moved to an opened triangle. If it is occupied by two or more cards of the opponent, the triangle is "closed".

2. The numbers in two dice are separated movements. For example, if the player extracts 5 and a 3, a token can move 5 spaces and other one 3 spaces, or a single token can move 8 spaces, but only if the intermediate space (the triangle 3 or 5 since it began the movement) is an opened triangle.

3. A player who obtains a double moves the showed for the dice two times. If he extracts a double 6, the player has four movements of 6 spaces and he will be able to move any combination of cards: four cards 6 spaces, two cards 12 spaces, one moves 6 spaces and other one 18,
etc.

4. The player must use both numbers that he has obtained in the dice (or
the 4 if a double extracted) if it is legally possible. If none of the numbers can be played, the player loses his shift.

Eating and Returning
A triangle occupied for only one token, it doesn´t matter the color, is called "Spot". If the opponent moves one of his tokens to a “spot”, this one is eaten and placed in the"Bar".

When a player has one or more tokens in the "Bar", it has the obligation to return these tokens to the game before being able to perform another movement. The cards that were eaten return to the "Board of the Opponent ", moving them up to the opened Top that the dice mark.

As example, if a player extracts 4 and one 6 in the dice, the eaten token must move 4, 6 or 10 spaces, if the destination triangle and the intermediate is opened.

If none of the resultant triangles of the shot of the dice is opened, the player loses the shift. If a player can enter some but not all the tokens that he has eaten, he must yield the rest of his shift. After the player returned his tokens to the board, any number that yet has not been used must be moved, for what the player will move the token that pleases the quantity
of spaces corresponding to the non used number.

Extracting the tokens
As soon as a player managed to place his 15 tokens in the "Board of the Player ", he can start extracting the tokens of the board. A player extracts of the board a token on having thrown in the dice the number of the triangle in which they are. For example, extracting 6 in the dice means that a token
of the Triangle #6 can be extracted.

If there is no token in the triangle indicated by the dice, the player must move a token that is in a triangle of number superior to that of the indicated by the dice. If there are no tokens in a triangle of top number, the player must extract of the board a token of the triangle of higher number. The player is not forced to extract tokens of the board if he can perform any other allowed movement.

The player must have all his active tokens in the "Board of the Player" to be able to begin to extract them of the board. If a token is eaten during the process of extracting of the board, the player will have to return to take
this token to the "Board of the Player" before continuing extracting tokens of the board. The player first in extracting his 15 tokens of the board gains the game.

Doubling
Backgammon is played by an amount of money by point resolved before. Every game begins in 1 point. During the game, the player who feels that he has the sufficient advantage can propose to double the bet. He will be able to do it only on the beginning of his shift and before throwing the dice. The player offered to double can refuse, in which case loses the game and he must pay the point. If he manages to accept the doubling it is continued playing for the double of the bet and the new point marks
the doubling the die. Now it only can redouble.

The subsequent doublings in the same game are called rolls. If a player does not accept a roll he must pay the amount of the point that existed before the roll. If he agrees, he turns into the owner of the dice and only he
will be able to redouble again. There is no limit of rolls in a game.
Gammons and Backgammons At the end of the game, if the player who
lost extracted at least one of his tokens, he only must pay the equivalent of the bet marked by the doubling dice (1 point if they were not). Nevertheless, if the loser did not extract any of his tokens, he must pay the double of the bet, that is named "Gammon" and if the loser has a token in the "Bar" or in
the "Board of the Opponent" he must pay the triple of the original bet.

Special issues
1. The dice must be thrown together on a flat surface of the straight side
of the board. The player will have to throw again both dice if one or both
fall down out of the straight part of the board, it falls down on a token
or does not remain completely straight.

2. A shift is completed when the player gathers his dice. If the play is
incomplete or is illegal, the opponent has the option to accept the play or to ask the player to perform it correctly. A play is itself accepted when the opponent takes his dice or perform a doubling or roll showing the beginning of his shift.

3. If a player throws his dice before his opponent finishes his shift, this shot
is considered to be void.

Backgammon Tricks

Backgammon Strategies

The backgammon is characterized by its
dynamism. It can change the probabilities of
victory easily due to the variety of
movements into any point of the game. If you are raw in backgammon keep those aims in mind: 1. To learn to play (go on it´s very simple!)
2. To know and to practice the strategies to
win.

During the game, try to focus on your movements. And create a mental
representation of the following movements. Do not hurry. Think twice before doing any movement. Observe always the movements of your opponent very carefully. Try to anticipate the following movement of your opponent and make your move in a such way that does not give him any advantage.

The aggressive game and without strategy, can be entertaining but not effectively. Check your strategy and try to put your own tokens to keep them protected from the attack of your opponent tokens. The most important thing is not only to chase the victory but to develop a good game with the aim to triumph.

If your opponent obtains points rapidly, do not despair. Prevent him from obtaining more. Try to put your tokens in strategic positions to block the movements of your opponent. By this form you will gain an advantage and
will place yourself in position to gain the game.

Try always to have an even number of cards in the triangles to avoid the possibility of being "burned" by your opponent. This one is the way in which you will avoid to lose several points. If you must take a decision between "being burned" or obtaining a point, you will have "to burn" but only if it does not put it in position to be "burned" later; because it will extract one of his tokens but will give him in turn an advantage.

The triangle of the top is known for granting seven points. That one is a risky but valuable position. If you are given the option, take the
fourth or fifth triangle because these are surer areas, where you cannot lose easily your tokens since it might happen in the seventh position.

The dice were indicating the tokens you can move and that way to decide what movements can and cannot be done. Observe always the dice, be sure of your own movements and study always those of your opponent.