Backgammon in details

For a long time backgammon was as popular as chess. Today, manufacturers of board games, making backgammon board, combine these two games on one board. Over time, chess became a sport, but backgammon mostly remained an entertainment. What do you need to know about the game?

Types of backgammon

In general, there are two varieties of backgammon – long and short backgammon. They, in turn, are subdivided into more disciplines. Here are some of them.

• American backgammon is popular in the south of North America. To determine which gamer will fight with which stones, a dice is used. The person who gets white pieces, places two pieces in the first, second and third cells on the lower left side of the game board and places the remaining nine on the board. The owner of the black pieces occupies the bottom right part of the game board. A player with black pieces moves as usual and his opponent has to gradually introduce his stones into the game. But in this case, if the owner of the white pieces wins in such a match, he will be rewarded with a prize of three bets.
• Dutch backgammon is the game in which all pieces are brought into the game from the board. Participants throw dice according to the turn and begin to move when all pieces are off the board. The gamers’ task is to guide the pieces across the field and then remove them. The first one who succeeds is declared the winner.
• Gulbar (from Uzbek) is a subspecies of Backgammon. The rules of these two varieties are similar. This variation is also called a frantic backgammon because of its dynamism and rapidity. The game can last only a few minutes. In this game, an element of chance plays a big role. In the duel, the winner is not the player who thinks a lot, but the one who is just lucky. In Uzbek the name of the game means a flower garden. The initial placing of stones in gulbar coincides with the arrangement of long backgammon.
• The one-two pair is a subspecies of the short variety. This variation is common among sailors. The rules of the game is similar to the rules of short backgammon. The only difference is that the match begins with the fact that participants with the help of dice determine who will make a move first. Gamer, which has fallen out on the dice is a larger numerical value, makes a move first, putting the stone in the appropriate point, then he moves the second piece, etc.
• Jacket was popular in Europe in the nineteenth century. Jacket rules are similar to the rules of long backgammon. The only difference is the initial placing of pieces: all light checkers occupy the first line of the dark house, all dark pieces occupy the first line of the light ones’ house. Otherwise the rules are the same.
• Serpent, or snake, is a subspecies of short backgammon, common in the United States. It differs from the traditional version by its asymmetrical arrangement. Black stones originally occupy the following positions: two in the first point, one in the eighth, five each in the twelfth and sixth, that is, as in the classical variant. The participant-owner of white pieces must first enter the game with the pieces that are on the board, and then move according to the standard rules. Because of this initial arrangement, standard tactics and strategy do not work.

Long Backgammon

Long backgammon is one of two biggest types of backgammon. In this game, two people are playing. The board is divided into two halves (left and right). Each player has 15 checkers on the board, which are placed on their side of the board along the right side. Sets of checkers differ in colors, usually black and white. Each player has the right to move only pieces of his color.

The initial position of checkers on the board is called “the head”. A move from this position is called the “head move”.

The right of the first move and accordingly the white color of checkers is given to one of the players by rolling the dice. If the game consists of several stages, the color of checkers changes and the next con is started by the player who played the previous one black.

After the shot the player must move his two checkers counter-clockwise as many wells as the number of points dropped on each of the dice. Instead of moves with two different checkers a player can make two moves with one checker. If the dice has the same number of points (the so-called “double”) then the throw is doubled, that is, a player must make four moves with checkers.

It is necessary to move strictly on the number of points, which fell out on the checkers. If the move for the dropped number of points is impossible, these points “burn”, but if the possibility of a move is present, the player must use all dropped out points. A move is considered to be completed after pressing the tournament clock button or passing the dice to the opponent.

A player must pass all checkers in a full circle (counter-clockwise), enter the “house” and “throw” them out before the opponent does it.

Short backgammon

Short Backgammon is one of the most popular backgammon games. Two players participate in it, they use a board consisting of 24 triangles referred to as “points”. They are grouped into four equal groups. They are numbered for each player separately, starting with the player’s house. The farthest point is the 24th point, and it is also the first point for the opponent. Points are numbered clockwise for white pieces and counter-clockwise for black ones.

The points are combined into groups. These groups are called the house (1-6), the yard (7-12), the opponent’s house (19-24), the opponent’s yard (13-18). The house and the yard are separated from each other by a bar that protrudes over the playing board.

The game starts with rolling a dice to determine who moves first and what numbers for his first move he uses. If both players have the same numbers, they both roll the dice one more time until they have different values.

The numbers on each dice shows how many points the player must move his checkers. They move only in one direction. A checker can move only to an open point.

Backgammon strategies: fast game

There are several strategies for backgammon. One of them is the “fast game” strategy. This strategy is based on the racing principle, where the main thing is to move your checkers to the finish line as fast as possible in order to overtake your opponent. In general, a “clean race” in backgammon is impossible, since a player’s pieces can meet with opponent’s pieces, which can lock or beat your pieces. The essence of the Rapid Game strategy is to safely pass obstacles with your checkers and enter a race – a situation when the opponent’s pieces cannot interfere with your progress to the finish line.

The fast game tactics includes several points. First, the farthest pieces should be the first to start moving, since they need to travel a longer distance. At the same time, you need to create obstacles for the advancement of distant enemy checkers. Second, the further the checker advances, the more seriously it should be protected from being defeated, because in this case it will have to return to the beginning of its path.  Accordingly, taking opponent’s checkers, especially those that have advanced far, is very effective.

Third, it is important to create closed points, which makes it difficult for the opponent to advance and put his beaten pieces into play. In general, you should strive to get as many of your checkers off the board as quickly as possible.

Backgammon strategies: holding game

The second strategy is the “Holding Game”. Its principle is the opposite of “rapid game”. This strategy allows lagging in the race, but the player stays in a winning position by placing his checkers in the opponent’s House and Court, which allows him to hit other player’s pieces when he tries to enter the House.

The holding game is more complicated because there is more emphasis on building a favorable disposition, which requires serious strategic preparation.

All moves in your house must be seriously justified, only the most necessary moves are possible here, since the main goal is to move checkers in other points. Entering pieces into the house should be done using small moves.

All in all, backgammon is an interesting game that requires a lot of strategic thinking, but at the same time, the influence of luck is also present.