subject: Beginning Backgammon Strategy [print this page] If you are new to the game of Backgammon, you might appreciate some helpful strategy hints to get you started. Backgammon goes back many centuries and has been played by people of all walks of life. There have been Backgammon competitions that were popular a couple of centuries ago. Today, Backgammon is making a comeback and many people are enjoying the game online with others who like to also play the game.
Backgammon is played on a board that has two lines of twelve triangles that are two different colors. The triangles from the two rows are placed alternatively and they are called points. Each player receives fifteen checkers to begin the game, with red and white checkers being the traditional colors.
The game board also has sections called home, an outer board and 2 x 2 game playing areas. The middle section of the board is called the bar. This is where the checkers are placed when taken out by the other players. Each player will receive a pair of regular dice. To help make tracking easier, doubling dice are also used in the game. The points of the game are numbered from 1 to 24 to make it easier for scoring. The object of the game is to move all of the checkers to your home and then remove them by bearing them off the board.
The throw of the dice decides the first player. The player with the largest total goes first and if someone gets doubles, they get more points. Some people keep it easy by only using one dice and the person with the highest points goes first. The entire game is played by the roll of the dice. The first player will then move, according to what he rolls with his dice.
The checkers are moved according to how the dice are played. For example, if you throw a 4 and a 6, one checker moves up four and one moves up six. If your opponent has a checker already in that spot, then your partner's checker goes to the bar and this is called a blot. The other player can then only move if this checker is removed.
Once all of the checkers have reached the home area, they must then be removed from the board. This can only be done if the player rolls a number that corresponds to where that dice is. Stakes are often made in which the players decide rather or not to take doubles.
The game ends when one of the players successfully removes all checkers from the board. While there are many different ways to play the game, most websites have rules and strategy guides to make it easy to learn. Also, it can be helpful to play against the computer or against someone who is willing to teach you as you play.
Many people are enjoying playing Backgammon for money. While there is obviously no guarantee, the more you play, the better your strategy will become. Once you feel more confident, you can begin to bet small sums of money with players who are at the same level of experience that you are. Backgammon is fun, relaxing and easy to learn. It has become quite popular on the internet and many people are enjoying the game.
