How to Play Backgammon using Opening Rolls

Every game featuring the use of dice is said to offer players advantageous opening moves. A backgammon game is no different. Whether you're playing backgammon with friends or internet backgammon for money, knowing how to play backgammon using the opening rolls to your advantage can give you a useful lead over your opponent.

To open a game of backgammon, each player must roll the die. The player with the highest score will take the first turn in the game. This player has the advantage of being the first to benefit from the opening moves. Two scenarios are addressed below. However, we recommend finding a comprehensive list of the best opening rolls on a backgammon site and studying each move as carefully as possible to take full advantage of them in your game.

One useful opening roll is a five and a six. Rolling this on your first roll is referred to by online backgammon players as the “Lover’s Leap.” The most favorable move you can make with this roll on the backgammon board is to move a back checker away from your opponent's home board to your mid point. This move is often referenced on online gambling sites and in backgammon tutorials as 24/13.

Another example of how knowing how to play the opening rolls can give you the advantage can be illustrated by the following example. A roll of six and four presents a player with two choices. Firstly, you can make two separate moves which will shift checkers to 8/6 and 6/2. A second option is to play as aggressively as you can to slot your opponent’s bar point. You can also anchor your opponent's seven or 19 point if you roll another six in your next turn.

As well as learning the best recommended moves per opening roll, you can use backgammon strategy to help you win a game. We all know that the best form of defense is attack. If you want to try out an aggressive strategy on your opponent, why not try hitting as man of his checkers as possible? This will send them back to the home bar. According to backgammon rules, your opponent will then have to play these checkers back into the game before he can move any of his other checkers toward his home board. This can give you valuable time to move your checkers home and will slow down your opponent's game considerably.

Another aggressive way you can gain the upper hand when you play backgammon is to intimidate your opponent with the doubling cube. Used expressly for backgammon gambling, the doubling cube officially increases the current wager in a game. If you offer the doubling cube to your opponent, he must accept it and the increased wager it represents or else forfeit the game. If his game is not going well, he may be reluctant to up the stakes and may choose to bow out gracefully. In this way, you can win the game plus the money you've both wagered on it. However, if he accepts the doubling cube, make sure you play as well as you can to avoid losing your wager at the higher amount!

About the author

Further readings and editorials published by Gene Marshall about backgammon are offered on line. Gene Marshall specializes in writings about backgammon online and proven backgammon tips. He is a specialist internet backgammon authority and is commissioned by several renowned online backgammon sites.

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