Backgammon Tips

The game of  backgammon as it is enjoyed by beginners is often dependent on luck more often than good playing strategy. But playing the game depends on  more than the hopes and wishes of Lady Luck – it relies on good  gaming tactics, strategic action and most importantly logical play. The overarching goal of backgammon is to gain advantage over your opponent. This is achieved by following a series of  steps as listed below:

• Start off by counting your pips in order to ‘guesstimate’ the number of pips required to bring all your checkers pieces home and them whip them off the playing board. In this vein, learning how to count off the pips – using the formulas – will greatly assist in making the right decisions.
• First up, it’s time to get rolling in the opening stages. Backgammon gamers will note that there are only fifteen possible opening rolls in each game. Plus in each and every opening roll there’s 1 topnotch move that is preferred. It is this move that determines a player’s progress.  So work it out as quickly as possible.
• It has been noted time and again that players tend to come unstuck in the game of backgammon by playing too quickly. Simple errors like making a play without taking into account the alternatives will prove costly too players. To this end it is advisable not to go for the first option – but rather to think it through.
• Players are advised to make correct use of the doubling cube. Knowing when to make use of the double and when to refuse it are oftentimes difficult decisions to make. But according to famed backgammon pro Kit Woolsey, players should double when there is uncertainty about whether it is a take or a pass option.
• A great many backgammon players are blithely unaware of the differences between a centered cube – the ones used before doubling has been offered by either of the players -  and a cube that is owned by one of the players. This generally results when an important decision on whether or not to play when the big gammon is up for grabs.

It’s been said before and it’s worth saying again – practice, practice, practice. The objective is to make an effort to learn all tricks by learning from game-playing mistakes. It is good playing practice to even save games and pick up from where you left off.