SAMPLE GAME 3:

THE BACKGAME

In our first two sample games, one side was able to establish a quick advantage and then nurse it along to victory. Not all backgammon games proceed in such a smooth fashion. Sometimes the road to victory gets very bumpy indeed, with sudden twists and turns and wild swings of fortune. Thats what gives backgammon its particular fascination, and thats what requires iron nerves to be a successful player.
Our next game is a real shootout between two very good players. These players don shirk complications - they seek them out. Its a wild ride, typical of backgammon at its high-octane best, requiring the utmost in concentration and determination from each player. Modem backgammon isn for the faint-of-heart: if that s the way you want to play, stick to parcheesi and canasta. If you want to see real excitement, read on.
1. Black 21: 13/11 6/5
Black starts with an innocuous throw, but he plays it as aggressively as possible - by starting his crucial 5-point and bringing down a checker from the midpoint as a backup. The 5-point is the key to modem backgammon strategy. Once you make the 5-point in the early game, youve not only doubled the strength of your home board

 
and started to build a prime, youve also begun the process of squeezing your opponents back men. As Blacks board gets stronger, White has to be leery about moving his back men into danger.
Not all your opponents will play this way. Some might play an opening 2-1 very conservatively, with a move like 13/11 24/23, or maybe 24/21. Those plays don put any pressure on your game, so youll find it easy to respond. If you run up against an opponent who plays his 2-1 like Black in this game, watch out! You e in for a real fight.
 Black has played 21
  
 

 
 
2. White 42: 1/5* 12/14
White naturally hits the blot on the 5-point, gaining in the race. With the 2, he brings a builder down to create more combinations to make a point on his side of the board.

 
White could play to make a point in his home board with 19/21 17/21, but this wouldn be right. Given a choice, hitting a blot is usually stronger than making an additional point, especially if the blot has started a point in your opponents inner board.
 White has played 42
 
 

3. Black 62: Bar/23 11/5*
The struggle for Blacks 5-point continues. Neither side can afford to let the other make the point uncontested. Black may fall farther behind in the race as a result of this play. However, hes not particularly concerned. Heres a good rule of thumb: If you e well behind in the race, falling a little further behind is not a serious problem - in fact, it may well turn out to be an asset.
4. White 52: Bar/5* 12/14
A very nice shot for White. He hits a blot, stops Black from making the 5-point, and makes the 14-point for

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himself.
 White has played 52
 
 
 
 
5. Black 31: Bar/22 6/5*
Black is determined to make his 5-point. Once again he enters and slashes away at the White blot. Black could play more conservatively, for instance by playing Bar/22 23/22, building a second point in Whites home board.
But he doesn - its way too early for such a conservative play. White has still not made any new inner board points, so Black knows that even ifhes hit, hell have no trouble entering the game from the bar. Aggressive play is called for, and Black rises to the occasion.
 
 

 
 Black has played 31
   
 

 
 
6. White 53: Bar/5* 19/22*
White hits on the 5-point, a play thats easy to understand. He also hits on the 22-point, a play thats not quite so clear.
Weve learned already that the modem way of playing is to fight aggressively for your 4-point and 5-point, and to be willing to accept some loss of ground in the race in order to make those key blocking points. But here White is hitting loose on his own 3-point (labelled as the 22point in our diagrams). Is that a good idea as well? Are all inner points worth fighting for?
The answer is - it depends.
At the beginning of the game, the 5-point is the most valuable point on the board, and well worth fighting for,

 
as we e seeing in this game. The 4-point is not as valuable as the 5, but its still an important point, so fights will develop over the 4-point as well. The 3-point and the 2-point are less valuable, and usually players won waste a lot of energy fighting over those points. The 1point definitely isn worth fighting over - if you see a player hitting on the I-point, its usually with some other purpose in mind.
Perhaps hes trying to conduct a blitz, or perhaps hes under attack and needs desperately to take away part of his opponents next roll.
Things change once points get made. If Black makes his 5-point, then his 4-point becomes the most valuable point in his board, so you can expect to see players contesting that point. If Black makes the 5-point and the 4-point, then the 3-point becomes crucial, and so on.
In the position in our game, White is hitting on the 3point to take away Blacks entire roll. Since Black has to spend his whole next roll entering from the bar, he may not be able to hit White anywhere. This could leave White free to make a new blocking point next tum. In most positions, hitting two of your opponents checkers is a VERY powerful play. Don miss it!
7. Black 64: Bar/21
One of the bonuses of hitting two checkers is that your opponent may not enter both men next tum. Here Black dances with one man, and as a result Whites initiative is growing more dangerous.

 
 Black has played 64
  
 
 
8. White Doubles to 2
White sees that the game has started very favorably for him. Hes now far ahead in the race, while Black has a man still on the bar and two more vulnerable blots on the 23 and 21-points. When a good player gets the advantage, he won usually nurse it quietly. Instead he goes straight for the throat with a quick double.
In effect hes saying to Black, If you play this game out, my big lead could turn into a gammon or even a backgammon. Do you want to take that chance? Why risk losing four or even six points? Concede one and lets start over.
9. Black Takes the Double
An inexperienced player might be intimidated by Whites threats and throw in the towel. Black, however, under-

 
stands that although he is an underdog, his position has great resiliency. Falling behind in the race at the beginning of a game is not a death sentence. If Black can establish two points in Whites home board, he will have what is called a ack game. White will find it difficult to bear in and bear off his checkers without leaving at least one and possibly several shots. If Black is able to hit one of these shots, he may be able to contain the checker he hits and tum the game completely around.
Thats the good news. Blacks plan is ambitious, however, and it can fail in several ways: White might never leave a shot, or Black might miss the shot, or Black might not be able to contain a checker even ifhe hits one. In that case, Black will probably lose a gammon or even a dreaded backgammon.
10. White 61: 14/2019/20
White has several possible choices with 61. He could continue the attack with 17/23* 22/23, making the 23point (his own 2-point) and putting a second Black checker on the bar. He could run a back man to safety with 5/12. He could make his bar-point with 12/1817/18. Or he could make his own 5-point with the play he actually chose.
Whites actual play, 14/20 19/20, is correct, strong, and completely in keeping with his strategy of aggressive, power backgammon. Weve emphasized over and over again that the 5-point is the key point of modem backgammon strategy. When you make the 5-point, you crowd your opponent and prepare to build your blocking position either forward (down to the 4-point and 3-point)

 
or backward (to the 7 -point and 9-point). More than any other point on the board, the 5-point offers both immediate power and future flexibility.
However, there will always be enticing alternatives to making the 5-point. A lesser player, in the heat of battle, will allow himself to be distracted by these alternatives. Ifhe likes playing blitzes, the play of making the 23-point might look good here. If hes had good luck in running games, the play 20/13 might be appealing. Don letthese distractions affect you! Unless another play is 100% clear, just make your 5-point.
 White has played 61
  
 
11. Black 43: Bar/21 8/5*
An excellent shot for Black. Its about time, as hes rolled poorly up to now.

 
Blacks first decision is: Should I enter on the 22-point, hitting, or should I enter on the 21-point, making a second point? The answer is clear: Make the second point.
(By the way, defensive points in your opponents home board are known as anchors. Well refer to them that way from now on.)
Once Black has two anchors, he has the minimum requirements to playa back game. Here his anchors are on Whites I-point and 4-point (the 24 and 21-points in our diagrams). That formation is referred to as a 1-4 backgame.
Different backgames have different reputations. The 14 backgame isn considered one of the strongest, for technical reasons which well get into later. The strongest back games are the 2-3, the 2-4, and the 1-3. Part of Blacks strategy in this game will be to try to upgrade into a stronger back game when the opportunity presents itself.
Once Black has decided to make the 21-point, he has a 3 left to play. Here the decision is easy. He goes back to fighting for his own 5-point. Ifhis checker is hit, so what? He already has five men back in his opponents territory. A sixth won matter much.
 
 Black has played 43
    
 
12. White 65: Bar/5*/ll
White is forced to hit with the 5, of course, and then has a choice of how to play his 6. Lets look at the possibilities closely.
He could play 14120, moving the blot on the l4-point to safety, but this is a craven play, unworthy of a modem player. Whites blot on the l4-pointis ina powerful spot, generating combinations to make the l8-point, the 16point, or the I5-point, all important blocking points. White should leave the blot where it is and hope to make one of these points next tum.
White could play 12/18, directly slotting the I8-point, which both sides would like to make. This looks bold and might work, but its really an overplay. Almost 2/3 of Blacks possible numbers next tum will enter and hit a
 
 

 
blot on the 18-point. Then Black would be a big favorite to make that key point. Heres a good rule of thumb for these situations: Ifboth you and your opponent want to make the same point, don slot it! Wait to make it naturally. In the long run, youll make the point more often this way.
White could also slash away with 17/23 *, hitting a second checker. Aggressive, but its attacking the wrong point. White doesn want the 23-point just yet (its too deep in his home board. He really wants the 18-point and, to a slightly lesser extent, the 16-point. Moving that checker off the 17 -point actually takes away a builder for the 18-point. Not the right idea.
By a process of elimination, we come down to 5/11 as the best choice. It creates a new builder for the important 16 and 15-points at minimal risk - a good blend of aggression and prudence.
13. Black 54: Bar/2113/8
Theres nothing spectacular or even moderately creative to be done, so Black just enters and brings down a new builder. Black doesn play 21/16 for the same reason that White didn play 12/18 last tum: the 16-point is a valuable, contested point, and the first person to slot it may well lose control.

SAMPLE GAME 3= THE BACKGAME
 Black has played 54
 
 
 
 
14. White 41: 14/1817/18
White can make any of three different points with his 41. He chooses the l8-point. Lets see why.
One option is to make the IS-point with 11/15 10/15. This is safe and solid, cleaning up two blots, but not particularly menacing. Its a great roll for White, and he should be able to do better than this.
White can certainly make his 2-point (the 23-point) with 19/23 * 22/23. Under most circumstances, this would be the natural and correct play, making an inner-board point and sending Black to the bar. But not here!
To see why, we have to understand that back games are fundamentally different from other types of backgammon games like the blitz or the race. Those games often
 
 

 
swing wildly from roll to rolL A single tum spent dancing on the bar can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Back games, however, proceed more slowly. Once the contours of a back game have been established, the decisive part ofthe battle is pushed many rolls into the future. The hand-to-hand skirmishing characteristic of a blitz is postponed, while the players attempt to gain small advantages by nailing down the key points.
Suppose White does play 19/23* 22/23, and then suppose Black dances. Normally Black would be discouraged by this exchange, and White would be delighted. But here their attitude would probably be: So what? Black would still keep his two key back game points, the 21-point and the 24-point. Hes almost sure to reenter sometime in the next roll or two. The crucial point in the game, when White bears his checkers in and then leaves a shot, is still many rolls in the future. In fact, a refreshing tum or two on the bar might be just what Black needs to adjust his timing.
We discussed the idea of timing a little bit in our first sample game (see the explanation after  Basically, timing is the ability to move your spare checkers for a long time (while you wait for a winning shot) without breaking your board (moving your checkers down to the 1, 2, and 3-points). If Black can keep his timing, he has an excellent chance to win a back game. If Black runs out of time, hes croaked.
Now lets look at the position from Whites point of view. Whats the best way to attack your opponents timing? Answer - build a prime in front of his back 
checkers. If White can build, say, the 18 and 16-points, all those Black checkers on the 24 and 21-points may get stuck and not be able to move. Whites play of making the 18-point, 14/18 17/18, looks quiet, but in reality, is far more threatening to Black than some impetuous hit.
Review the material in these last few pages carefully - all the key strategy in playing for or against a back game is explained. If you understand these ideas, youll be way ahead of 90% of your opponents.
White has played 41
  
 
 
 
15. Black 42: 13/9 24/22*
Black keeps fighting back. He hits on the 22-point and brings a builder down to his 9-point. I think thats best, but Black had several choices with this roll, so lets look at the other options.
 
 

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One play is 13/11 *17. Black hits and continues on to start his bar point. This takes away part of White s roll, but its not very useful otherwise. Black can do better.
Black could have simply made his 4-point with 8/4 6/4. Thats a solid, constructive play. The downside is that it leaves White free to pursue his own goal. Hell cover his blot on the 22-point with any three. He might also extend his prime by making the 16-point ifhe throws 54, 44, or 22. Rolls like 65 and 64 would cover the blot on the 22point from the ll-point or 12-point. Thats a lot of options for White.
Now lets go back to Blacks actual play. Black wants to hit on the 22-point for two reasons. First, by hitting he interrupts Whites plans. White has to first enter from the bar before he can make new points. Secondly, Black is trying to upgrade his anchor. Right now his backgame points are the 24-point and the 21-point. Black would like a different combination of points - perhaps the 21 and 22-points, or even the 21 and 23-points. Hitting on the 22 increases the chance that Black can make one of these other combinations.
What makes these other combinations of points better for a back game?
Experience has shown that back games generate the most shots later when the two points are close together. They generate the fewest shots when the points are far apart. So the worst back game is the 1-5 back game. The I-point and the 5-point are three points apart, which is as far as you can get and still have two points in the home board.

 
N ext worse is the 1-4 back game, where the points are separated by two other points. By trying to move his rear anchor up to the 23 or 22-point, Black is hoping to build a back game with points close together. Thats good strategy.
 Black has played 42
 
 
 
 
16. White 54: Bar/5/9*
White enters and hits the blot. White could create an anchor with Bar/5 1/5, which in most games would be the logical play, since the 5-point is so important. But not here. The purpose of making the defensive 5-point is to prevent your opponent from building a prime to contain your checkers. That can happen here: most of Blacks prime-building checkers are stuck on the other side ofthe board.
To win at backgammon, its crucial not to fall into
 
 

 
stereotyped modes of thinking. The 5-point is usually very valuable, but here its almost irrelevant.
17. Black 61: Bar/24 21/15
This one is forced, but it does allow Black to reestablish his second anchor point. With the 6, Black springs a checker into the outfield.
 Black has played 61
   
 
 
 
18. White 63: 9/15* 19/22*
White hits in the outfield and at the same time attacks in his inner board. Hes trying to capture his 3-point (the 22point in our diagrams), preventing Black from establishing a 3-4 back game. Good play on Whites part.
19. Black 51: Bar/24
When two checkers get hit, its often not possible to enter both at once. Here Black has to settle for getting one checker in.

 
20. White 43: 15/22
White could make the 15-point with this roll, but the 22point is more important. Now the possibility of Blacks making a 3-4 back game has been eliminated.
 White has played 43
   
 
 
 
21. Black 54: Bar/21116
Black has to enter with the 4, then look around for the best 5. He could play 13/8 or 8/3 (6/1 * puts a checker out of play for no purpose), but elects to jump from behind the prime instead. This is known as recirculation. When youve got a bunch of checkers stuck behind a prime, its essential to keep them moving and in play. The usual way is to move spare checkers to the most advanced of your back points (in this case, the 2 I-point), then launch them into the outfield at any opportunity. Ifthey get hit, you simply try the process over again.

 
When playing a back game, this recirculation process is top priority. As a rule, its even more important than hitting enemy blots or building points. Thats just another example of how good back game strategy is completely different from what weve seen in our first two sample games. As you play, youll discover that very few of your opponents understand these refined points. With the knowledge you e getting here, youll be able to outplay them from either side of a back game.
 Black has played 54
 
 
 
 
22. White 54: 11/16* 12/16
Back in the trap! White closes the fifth point of his prime, pretty much eliminating any chance Black had of winning except through a pure back game strategy. (Had White missed, it was possible that Black could have won by containing Whites lone checker back on the I-point - unlikely, but in backgammon much stranger things

 
have happened.) Now Black is going to have to wait until White brings his men home and starts to dismantle his prime for any real winning chances to develop.
 White has played 54
 
 
 
 
23. Black 53: Stays Out
Good news and bad news. Black would like to have rolled a 2, which would have given him three back game points, on the 24, 23, and 21-points (officially known as a 1-2-4 back game). These three-point back games are very powerful - it would be practically impossible for White to get his men home without leaving several shots along the way.
Thats the bad news. The good news is that by staying out, Black doesn have to move his men. This will probably allow him to preserve his timing until a shot fmally emerges. Remember, it won do Black any good to hit a shot later ifhis remaining men have moved all the

 
way down to his 1, 2, and 3-points. Thats called a crushed board, and its nearly impossible to win from a formation like that. In fact, Black would be happy to stay on the bar for a few more turns - in that case, his timing would be secure.
 Black has stayed out
 

24. White 65: 12/23*
White understands the potential power of a 1-2-4 back game, so he launches a pre-emptive strike to try to eliminate that possibility.
This play is much better than the simple-minded 1/12, which brings the rear checker to safety but allows Black to throw a 2 to make the 23-point. In backgammon, you can afford to play by rote. You must fight for every important piece of real estate. The most valuable point on the board right now is the 23-point. Now Black will have to throw two 2s in succession to get it.

 
25. Black 64: Bar/21
Again, Black can only enter one man.
 Black has played 64
  
 
 

26. White 63: 12/181/4
With his 6, White moves into position to cover the blot on the 23-point next tum. With the 3, White prepares to escape his last man from Blacks home board.
White could have covered the blot on the 23-point right away, with 17/23 17/20. However, this would have broken his prime, which right now is containing seven of Blacks checkers. If Black then entered on the next tum, Whites checkers on the 12-point and I-point might have run into some trouble getting home. Its not a clear choice, and some players would have chosen to cover the 23-point right away. However, I prefer Whites actual play. As long as White maintains the 5-point prime, Black will have trouble doing anything constructive.

 
27. Black 66: Stays out
Blacks very glad he was on the bar when he rolled that number. Playing or not playing 24 pips might have made the difference between losing and preserving his timing.
 Black has stayed out
  
 
28. White 65: 4/10 18/23
At last White nails down the 23-point, committing Black to a 1-4 back game. At the same time, he brings his last checker close to home.
At this stage of a back game, theres nothing much happening. White is scooting for home, reorganizing his loose checkers and maintaining his prime as long as possible. Black will eventually enter from the bar, then build his 4,5, and bar-points, in anticipation of a later hit. If he gets a chance, he will spring some of his spare checkers into Whites outfield, to preserve his timing.

 
Whats a spare checker? Thats any checker that isn needed to hold down a key point. Right now, Black has one spare each on the 21 and 24-points. The checker on the bar will become a second spare on one of these point as soon as it enters.
29. Black 41: Bar/21 6/5
41 is a great shot, giving Black a chance to enter on either point in Whites board. Naturally, he chooses to enter on the 21-point. That way, hell be able to free the checker with any 6 later on. With the one, he starts to build the 5point. He could also have played 8/7, starting the barpoint. Either play of the ace is perfectly good.
30. White 63: 10/19
White brings the rear checker home to safety.
 White has played 63
 
 
31. Black 62: 21/15 13/11

Excellent play by Black! He had a tempting alternative, 13/7/5, which would have covered the 5-point. His actual play, however, jumping out from behind the prime and creating a builder on the II-point, is far superior. Black correctly sees that White will not leave a shot for at least one or two turns. In that time, Black will easily be able to make the 5-point. Blacks real danger is the checkers stuck behind Whites prime. Black needs to get those checkers mobilized and moving, which means he needs to play 21/15 with every 6 on the dice.

Once again we have an example of a key strategic idea making the 5-point - being superceded by an idea which is more important because of the specific conditions of the position. This kind of flexible thinking is essential to reaching the top levels of backgammon.
 Black has played 62
 
 
32. White 64: 16/22 16/20
White clears the back point of his prime. Thats usually the right way to take down a prime - from the back. In this case, its also the only move to avoid leaving a shot. From now on, White will try to avoid leaving a shot whenever possible. Black is in the process of controlling all the rest of the board, and a blot could be fatal.
33. Black 53: 21/168/5
A straightforward play. Black springs another checker for extra mobility, and covers the blot on the 5-point.
If Black s timing were dubious, he might instead play 24/ 21 with the three, preparing to jump the checker into the outfield. Here thats not top priority. Blacks timing looks fine, and he could get a shot as early as next tum (for instance, if White rolls 64 next), so its more important to build the 5-point.
 Black has played 53
  
 
 
34. White 21: 18/1918/20
Excellent technique on Whites part! Based on the note to Whites last move, you might expect White to play here 17/18 17/19, clearing his prime from the back. Thats a good general principle, but here White sees an exception to the general rule, and artfully takes advantage of it.
The problem with 17/18 17/19 is this: White will then eventually come down to a position where he has two men on the 18-point. If White then leaves a shot while trying to clear the 18-point (with rolls like 53 or 56, for example), Black will have a double shot at the blot on the 18-point.
A double shot just means that Black will be shooting at the blot from two points within direct range - in this case, the 21 and 24-points. Black will be able to hit with any 6 or any 3 on the dice. Hell actually be a favorite to hit the blot.
Now look what happens if White clears the 18-point instead, leaving the 17 -point behind. If White later leaves a shot while trying to clear the 17 -point, it will only be a single shot; Black will only be able to hit it directly from the 21-point. Black will be much less likely to hit.
By looking a roll or two ahead, White has shrewdly reduced his overall risk. Intelligent risk management is one of the keys to winning backgammon.
 
 White has played 21
    
 
35. Black 65: 13/7 15/10
Having made the 5-point, Black now has to decide in what order to make further points. He correctly decides to go after the 7 -point next. He could try to make the 4point by playing 15/4. However, the 4-point is harder to make than the 7-point, and its also not directly part ofa 4-point prime.
Black wants to build a prime of either four, five, or six consecutive points, so that when he hits a shot, the checker will be trapped. The easiest and quickest prime for Black to build is the one that includes the points he already has (the 5, 6, and 8) and which stretches back into the outfield (since Blacks builders are closest to the outfield). That means Blacks next two target points are the 7 -point and the 9-point.
 
36. White 65: 17/2317/22

Nice shot. White has successfully cleared his outfield points, and hes ready to start bearing off.
37. Black 31: 10/7 16/15

Black makes the 7 -point, completing a 4-point prime, while the checker on the 15-point now bears directly on the next target point, the 9-point.
38. White 65: 19/off 20/off

A forced play, bearing off two checkers.
 White has played 65
 
 
 
39. Black 52: 15/10 11/9

Black continues with the strategic idea. By slotting the 9point, he is prepared to make a 5-point prime next tum if he rolls an ace.
 
40. White 61: 19/off 22/23
The only way to play the number without leaving a shot. Bearoffs against contact (your opponent still holds one or two points in your home board) typically offer little scope for creativity: almost all the plays will be forced. The idea is just to avoid leaving a shot for as long as possible.
 White has played 61

41. Black 62: 24/18/16
Black can make any progress building his prime, so he springs his last spare checker. His timing for the backgame is ideal - hell almost certainly be able to build a solid prime ifhe hits a checker. Unfortunately, ifhedoesn hit a shot, hell certainly be gammoned or backgammoned.
42. White 52: 20/off 23/off No other legal play.
 
43. Black 32: 16/11
Black wanted to throw a one or a seven, to make the 9point and complete five points in a row. No such luck. Instead, Black leaves the 9-point slotted (hoping to cover next turn with ones or twos).
44. White 62: 19/off 23/off
White has skirted problems for several turns now, but lightning finally strikes as White leaves a double shot. (It could have been much worse - 65 would have left a quadruple shot at two blots!)
 White has played 62
 
Black is now actually a favorite to hit. Of his 36 possible throws, fully 20 (all throws containing a 5 or a 2) hit the blot on the 19-point.
Should Black redouble? Not at all! Lets see why.
 
Many beginners confuse hitting shots with winning games. Suppose you knew that Black was going to hit this shot. Would that guarantee that Black was going to win? Absolutely not. Don forget, White has already taken off seven checkers. Thats a lot of checkers.
Black could hit this checker, complete a full 6-point prime, roll the prime home and close out his board, start bearing off checkers, and still lose! All White has to do is enter when Black starts to open up points in his board, and he could easily scoot around the board and win.
In order to win this game, Black has to do four things, one after the other:
First, he has to hit this shot.
Second, he has to complete a 6-point prime, so that Whites checker can escape the trap.
Third, he has to roll the prime home and close out his home board, putting Whites trapped checker on the bar.
Finally, Black has to bear off quickly, so that he can win the race even after White eventually enters his man.
Heres a key concept that all top backgammon players understand: The likelihood of doing two things, one after the other, is the probability of doing the first thing multiplied by the probability of doing the second thing.
For example, if the probability of doing A (say, hitting a blot) is 90%, and the probability of doing B (say, winning
 
after hitting) is 90%, the probability of doing A and B, one after the other, is only 90% times 90%, or 81 %.
Be sure you understand this concept. If you do, youll be way ahead of most of your opponents, and youll be well on your way to being a shrewd doubler and an even shrewder taker.
What this means, basically, is that if you have to do several things to win the game, and you e a favorite to do each one, you may still be a solid underdog to do all of them together.
Lets go back to our position in the game. We listed four things that Black had to do to win. Lets make a rough guess at how likely he is to do each one, then multiply those numbers together to see how likely he is to win. (Pay attention - you may be very surprised at the result!)
First, Black has to hit this shot. The chances of that, as we explained earlier, is 20 out of36 - thats about 55%.
Second, Black has to complete a 6-point prime, trapping Whites checker. Hes got four points already, with slotted checkers on the fifth and sixth points. After Black hits, however, White will have numbers like 36, 45, and 46 to enter and pop out. And thats just the first tum! Im going to guess that Blacks chances are about 70% to make a prime and trap White.
Third, Black has to roll his prime home, filling in the 4, 3, 2, and I-points in order while keeping six points in a row. Thats actually easier than it might look. With good technique, Ill give Black a 95% chance to succeed here.

Fourth, Black has to win after closing his board, given that White already has seven checkers off. Experience tells us that Black is a favorite to do this, but not by much. Perhaps hes 60% in this case.
Black is a favorite to do each and every thing on this list, but what are his chances of doing all four things, one after another? Get out your calculators and multiple 0.55 by 0.70 by 0.95 by 0.60. You should get 0.22. That 22%, or less than one chance in four! Not too good, and certainly no reason to be doubling.
Study this example carefully. A lot of doubling and taking decisions will depend on reasoning just like you saw here. If you understand this method, youll be way ahead of90% ofthe people you play and on your way to playing winning backgammon.
45. Black 21: 21/19* 10/9
A great shot for Black, hitting while making the fifth point in his prime.
46. White 32: Bar/3 20/22
And a poor shot for White! The rules require you to play your whole number, so White has to enter and expose another blot in his board. (He could also play Bar/2 20/ 23, which wouldn really make any difference.) Blacks well-timed back game is showing its power.

 White has played 32
 
47. Black doubles to 4.
Pressure doubling! At the very moment when White feels his game is suddenly injeopardy, Black ships over the cube. Excellent.
Doubling the previous tum, as we saw, involved no pressure at all. The position was an easy take and almost any player in Whites position would have snapped up the cube. Now, however its a different story. Black is a clear favorite and can become a huge favorite if he hits the second checker. A great double on Blacks part.
48. White takes.
Not to be intimidated, White shows his rock-solid determination by taking. Despite the danger, White figures he has two ways to win:  
o Black could miss the shot at the second checker, and White could eventually win based on the seven checkers he has already borne off.
o Black could hit the second checker, but White could form an anchor on the 2,3, or 4-points. This anchor could give Black some problems as he tries to bear in.
Remember that to take a double, White only needs to win one game in four. Thats often easier to do than you might think, even in positions that look unpromising. As you progress in backgammon, youll get better and better at assessing these chances. For now, keep one simple rule in mind - when in doubt, take.
49. Black 63: 19/10
Black misses the blot on the 20-point. His attention now must focus on containing Whites single checker. He uses the 63 to slot the 10-point, the last point he needs to complete a 6-point prime. Next tum, ifhe rolls an ace or a 65, he can cover this point.
Perhaps you e asking But suppose White rolls a 61? Won that hit the blot? The answer is yes, but thats a risk Black must take. In backgammon, you can be a winner by worrying about the 17-1 or 35-1 long shots.
You have to build a position and play against your opponents most likely rolls. Only after youve built up an overwhelming advantage should you worry about preventing the long shots. Right now, Black has some work to do just to make sure hes a favorite in the game. That means building a six-point prime is top priority.
 
50. White 31: 3/420/23
A good shot. White picks up the blot on the 20-point, leaving only one checker to worry about, and moves his straggler up to the 2 I-point, ready to leap the prime.
 White has played 31

51. Black 64: 10/4* 11/7
Black wanted to complete his prime, but didn throw the ace that would let him do so. Hitting with the six is now mandatory. Black can let White sit unmolested on the 4-point, ready to run into the outfield. This way, White needs a four, followed by a six, to get away.
Playing 11/7 gives Black a direct cover for the blot on the 4-point. If White doesn roll a 4, and Black then rolls a 3, Black will play 7/4 and complete his prime.
52. White 62: Barl2 Forced play.

 
 White has played 62
 
53. Black 63: 7/424/18

Success! Black completes his prime, putting him back in control. As long as he doesn break his formation of six points in a row, Whites lone straggler can never escape.

By playing 24/18 rather than 21/15, Black sets another little tactical trap. If White rolls 32, 42, 52, or 62 next tum, he will be forced to play 22/24*, exposing a second checker which Black might hit. Be alert for these small tactical plays, especially in the endgame.

When you have control of the game, try to visualize how your opponents different numbers will play, and move to take maximum advantage.
54. White 54: No move

White is only in position to play ones and twos on the dice. With larger numbers, he has to forfeit his tum.
 
 White could not play
 
55. Black 33: 9/3(2)
A nice roll which lets Black roll his prime forward one space. Black still maintains a full prime, but now its closer to home.
56. White 65: No move
As before, White can play.

 White could not play

57. Black 65: 18/7
Fine play. Black brings a new attacker into play.
Black had a chance to make a terrible blunder. He could have played the superficial 8/2 * 7/2, marching his prime forward one more pip, at the cost of giving White a 61 from the bar to leap out and hit on the 7 -point.
Don fall into this trap! I once saw a whole tournament lost on just this mistake. Keep your 6-point prime, bring up the reserves, and use your spare checkers to move the prime forward. Remember: as long as you keep six points in a row, White can escape.
58. White 44: No move
59. Black 55: 7/2* 21/6
 
Black hits at the front of his prime, and brings a spare into covering range. If White doesn throw a two, Black can cover and keep his prime by throwing a six or a four. Excellent technique.
60. White 43: Stays out
 White stayed out
 
61. Black 63: 8/28/5
Black naturally covers, rolling his prime forward one more pip. Playing the three from the 8-point to the 5point shows Blacks excellent technique in operation again. Black stays back on the 24-point in case Whites next throw is 21. In that case, White will enter with the one and hit on the 24-point with the two, exposing another blot. Black is relentlessly alert to anything that might give him an extra edge.
62. White 32: Stays out

 White stayed out
 
 
 
63. Black 53: 24/21 6/1

Black prepares to move the prime forward one last time by slotting the front of the prime. If White fails to hit, Black can complete the closeout by rolling any six or any four. If White does hit, he still can escape from Blacks 6-point prime. Black will just reenter his checker, move it around the board, and try again.
64. White 62: Stays out
65. Black 52: 21/14

Black can cover his blot, so he brings up the reinforcements.
66. White 54: Stays out
 White stayed out
 
 
67. Black 63: 7/114/11
Mission accomplished! Black has succeeded in rolling his prime all the way home, making a closed board. Now White can even roll until Black opens up a point in the board.
What is Blacks strategy for the next few rolls? Basically, its pretty simple. He should bring his spare checkers (currently on the 7 and II-points) in to his home board. He should try to arrange them on the high points in his board - the 4, 5, and 6 points would be ideal. Then he wants to bear off as many of his spares as possible before opening a point in his board.
Remember, White already has seven checkers borne off. Even though White still has to enter his checker and move it all the way around the board, that seven-checker lead is important.

68. Black 31: 11/87/6
According to plan. Black puts a spare on the 6-point, and brings the last checker closer to home.
69. Black 42: 8/4/2
Actually, Black would rather not play the two. His formation of spares on the three highest points in his board is ideal. But he has no choice. The next couple of throws will be very important.
 Black has played 42

70. Black 61: 6/0ff 5/4
Now we see the importance of putting a spare on the 6point. If Black didn have a spare there, this roll (or any other roll containing a 6) would have forced him to open the 6-point, finally giving White a chance to enter. In situations like this, its crucial for Black to keep his board closed as long as possible.

71. Black 63: 6/off 6/3
Black rolls another six and bears off a checker, but has to open the 6-point in his board. Naturally, he safeties the blot on the 6-point with 6/3. If White stays out this first turn (and hes a big favorite to do so), Black will become a commanding favorite in the game. If White enters, its anybodys game.
72. White 63: Bar/6/9
White enters quickly, and now the complexion of the game has changed dramatically. If Black doesn roll a double, White will have to think about turning the cube!
73. Black 31: 3/off lIoff
A feeble shot on Blacks part. Whites getting a gleam in his eye ...
 Black has played 31

SAMPLE GAME 3: THE BACKOAME
75. Black takes.
Not Black. He understands another basic principle of doubling: If a cube would be a take goingfrom 1 to 2, then its a take goingfrom 4 to 8 (or any higher level.)
76. White 52: 9/16
A larger number would have been better, but White will settle for this. Next turn hes ready to run home and start bearing off.
77. Black 21: 2/off lIoff
Black rolls his worst: only three pips, and now he has a gap on the I-point. One nice thing about taking a cube, though, is that you get to play the game through to the end, no matter how bad your position gets. Theres always a chance to save the game with a spectacular double if all strategy fails.
 Black has played 21
 
78. White 51: 16/2123/24
White, in tum, throws an awkward number. Hes able to reach his home board with the 5, but with no checkers on the 24-point, he can bear anyone off with the 1.
Whites play of the ace from the 23-pointtothe 24-point is excellent and illustrates an important principle of bearoffplay: Bear of/a checker whenever you can; if you can , fill in a gap.
Whites open 24-point is whats called a gap: a point with no checkers on it. When you roll a number corresponding to a gap, you e going to miss bearing off a checker, so its good to fill gaps whenever possible.
79. Black 44: 4/off(3) 5/1
Great shot! Black is able to bear off three checkers from the 4-point, then has to move a checker down to the 1point for his last four. He moves a lot of checkers, but most important, he leaves himself with only six checkers and a realistic chance to be off in three more turns.
80. White 65: 2110ff 22/0ff
A pretty good throw for White, who gets down to six checkers himself.
 White has played 65

Should Black now double? No. He has the same number of checkers as White, but he trails in the pip count, 16 to 14. As we said before, you generally want to be even in the pip count to double in these very short pip count situations. So Black is correct to wait.
81. Black 31: 3/0ff I/off
A poor shot, and now Black is very glad he held onto the
cube last tum.
82. White 65: 22/off(2)
White is throwing big numbers, but with his checkers on the low points they don do anything special. White is a solid favorite in the game, as most of Blacks aces and fours next tum fail to take a checker off.

83. Black 53: 5/off 3/off

A great shot for Black, taking off two checkers. Unless White can bear off all four checkers (by throwing 33, 44, 55, or 66), Black will be thinking of doubling next tum!
84. White 31: 22/off24/off
 White has played 31
 
 
85. Black Doubles to 16

The advantage is now firmly with Black, and he cranks up the tension another notch, turning the cube to 16 on Whites side of the table!

An excellent double on Blacks part. With only two checkers left on each side, we can start to estimate each sides chances just by looking at the possible rolls next tum. Of Blacks 36 different dice rolls, all but 10 win immediately for him. (The 10 are the rolls that contain an ace: 61 and 16,51 and 15,41 and 14,31 and 13, 21 and 12.) That gives him 26 winning rolls and 10 that don win, making him 72% to win. Thats enough to give him a solid double.
White, on the other hand, still has a take! Black is only 72% to bear both checkers off, which means White is still in the game 28% of the time. Thats more than the 25% he needs to take, so he can take and play on. And as we explained before, the level ofthe cube doesn matter. A take is still a take.
86. Black 41: 2/off 2/1
A heartbreaking roll for Black, but thats not the worst of it.

 Black has played 41
 
87. White doubles to 32.
White sends the cube up another notch, to 32! We don need to worry about the correctness of this double Whites reasoning is exactly the same as Blacks a tum ago. He wins with 26 numbers, loses with 10. He must double, and Black must take. One way or another, this extraordinary game is about to draw to a close.
88. Black takes. This is it.
89. White rolls 61 and loses 32 points.
A heartbreaker for White, a thriller for Black. This game gives you some idea of the amazing swings that are possible in backgammon. Thats part of what makes it the incredibly great game that it is. Despite the swings, the edge always goes to the player who can blend knowledge and nerve to outwit and outlast his opponent.