M@xFriis' Opening rolls Home-page

In this field even experts do not agree but on these pages you might find some interesting comments. The comments might even teach something more genneral about the initial part of the game. All playes are ordered after my prefference inspired by GNU Backgammon evaluations and rollouts. Thus I think the first alternative is the strongest play for money.

In matches the correct checkerplay will sometimes differ with varying gammon prices (see my page on doubling where gammon prices are explained). To include this aspect I nead some notation:

Notation
DMP	Double Match Point. This notation is used for my recommended checker move given that both players have no need for a gammon (have a gammon price on 0) and the cube is dead. In a DMP game you tend to aim more for a racing game than in a normal game (especially if you are the race leader). I.e. non connected points have marginally less value and you tend to race more with your back checkers. You less frequently play with a backup gameplan (e.g. you more rarely initiate plans on both sides of the board at the same time). Sometimes it is correct to play the pretty checker move aiming for a prime (countering a racing game from your opponent) e.g. by sloting important points. The reason is that the gammon does not count and that you will not get doubled out. Back games or even ace- or deuce-point games is more playable in DMP for the same reasons. The points deep in your opponent's homeland often has almost the same value as an advanced point.
GG	Gammon Go. This notation is used for my recommended checker move given that you need a gammon bad corresponding to a gammon value on 1, a price on 0 and a dead cube. In a GG game you aim more for a priming/blitzing game than in a normal game. I.e. offensive points have more value and you tend to split less with your back checkers but prefer offensive flexibility and ammunition. You even pay less attention to the order you make your points in.
GS	Gammon Save. This notation is used for my recommended checker move given that you need to save gammon bad corresponding to a gammon price on 1, a value on 0 and a dead cube. In a GS game you aim more for a holding game than in a normal game. I.e. advanced points in your opponent's homeland (defencive points) have high priority and you split early. This is a precaution to secure that you have something non gammonish to fall back on.

The initial roll

The starting position is displayed to aid your evaluation and understanding of the moves.

The following list is of the starting rolls and the best moves. The links are to pages commenting the return rolls.

The exclamation marks (!) illustrates a clear choice (to me) inspired by computer evaluations/rollouts. The question marks (?) illustrates that the choice is only marginally wrong according to computer evaluations/rollouts.

Gametypes

The following considerations about the midgame are very rough and subject to many counterexaples.

You should never like to play back games. Do not aim for them before all your front game plans have failed. Sometimes play with a plan that keeps the back game as an option if the main plan fails.

Of course backgammon is not that simple but this triangle is a good basis to establish heuristics from. Backgammon is basically a racing game but it is more complex than that. This triangle might help you to understand the game better.

Often games develop to race vs. race, holding vs. holding or prime vs. prime positions. Here timing is very important.

Both the last gametypes can be very complex but the latter might invite larger mistakes.

White to play the starting roll
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167

Start and return rolls

The initial roll

Gametypes