Best Opening Moves in Backgammon

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Opening Moves in Backgammon

The opening moves in backgammon have been studied and researched
carefully over the years. After using computer programs, personal skills and
intuition, most backgammon experts now agree on what the best opening
move is for every possible combination of the dice.

When making an opening move other than what the backgammon experts
recommend, you should be aware that you are reducing your odds of winning
the game and match.

If you want to win more often, you will have to memorize the best
backgammon opening moves or just use the list below when you play. In
order to improve your backgammon skills you will have to understand the
reasons behind each move and this is something you will get by practicing
backgammon often.

You will win more often if you make the opening backgammon moves listed
below. This has been proven statistically over time.

Recommended Opening Moves in Backgammon

Dice Combination:

6/5

Best Move:

Move all the way across with a back checker

Dice Combination:

6/4

Best Move:

For this combination there are three suitable plays:

Make your 2-point.
Move all the across with a back checker to your 14-point.
Run a back checker to the opponent's bar-point (24/18) to bring a
checker down from your mid-point.

Dice Combination:

6/3

Best Move:

For this combination there are two suitable plays:

Move a checker from your 24-point to your 15-point.
Move a checker to you're the opponent's bar-point to bring a checker
down from your mid-point.

Dice Combination:

6/2

Best Move:

For this combination there are two suitable plays:

Move to the 16-point
Move to the bar to bring a checker down from your mid-point

Dice Combination:

6/1

Best Move:

Go ahead and make your bar-point.

Dice Combination:

5/4

Best Move:

For this combination there are two suitable plays:

Move a back checker up (24/20) while you bring a checker down (13/8)
Bring two checkers down from your mid-point (13/8, 13/9)

Dice Combination:

5/3

Best Move:

Go ahead and make your three-point

Dice Combination:

5/2

Best Move:

For this combination there are two suitable plays:

Move a back checker up two spaces (24/20) while you bring one down
(13/8)
Bring down two checkers (13/8, 13/11)

Dice Combination:

5/1

Best Move:

For this combination there are two suitable plays depending on the match
score:

Generally split the back checker and bring one checker down (24/23,
13/8).
If you are behind in a match you can bring on checker down and slot
your 5-point (13/8, 6/5)

Dice Combination:

4/3

Best Move:

This is perhaps the trickiest dice combination in backgammon.
However, according to most experts you should move up three off your
back point (24/21) and bring the four down from the mid-point (13/9)

Dice Combination:

4/2

Best Move:

Go ahead and make your 4-point.

Dice Combination:

4/1

Best Move:

Usually you should split the back checker and bring a checker down
(24/23, 13/9). However, when gammons are very important you might
want to bring a checker down and slot your 5-point.

Dice Combination:

3/2

Best Move:

Another dice combination with a wide range of possible plays
depending on the score of the match. However, it's generally agreed
upon that you should move up three off your back point (24/21) and
bring the four down from the mid-point (13/11)

Dice Combination:

3/1

Best Move:

Go ahead and make your 5-point.

Dice Combination:

2/1

Best Move:

This is a dice combination where the experts recently change their
minds regarding the play. Instead of split your back checkers, computer
rollouts have showed that you should split your back checkers (24/23)
and slot your 5-point.

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If you would like to win
more often playing
backgammon, you will
have to memorie the best
opening moves.

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