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Backgammon Terms
J. Phillip Vogel
Backgammon Terms, a
lesson at Learn Skill Games
program.
Backgammon Terms: A
Ace
point: The first or
1 'point' on the board, the
closest point to bear off.
Advanced
anchor: A 'made
point' (see below) that is positioned
on your opponent's 4 point, 5 point or 6 point. See also, 'Anchor' and
'Deep
Anchor'.
Anchor:
A
'made point' (see below) on your opponent's
'home board'. Each player begins backgammon with an anchor (two
checkers)
on
their 24 point, which is their opponent's 1 point. See also, 'Advanced
Anchor'
and 'Deep Anchor'.
Automatic
doubles: This rule
states that if both players get the
same number on the first roll of the dice, then a double is called.
Backgammon Terms: B-C
Bar:
The
dividing line down the middle of a
backgammon set, where checkers that have been 'hit' sit until they
re-enter the
game.
Bear
in: The stage of
the game when a player moves his
men into his home board.
Bear
off: The
stage of the game when a player has all
his men on his home board, and is in the process of moving them off the
board
altogether.
Beaver:
When
one
player doubles, and his
opponent immediately redoubles.
Blitz:
A
style
of play in which a player hits
his opponent repeatedly in his own home board in an effort to keep him
on the
bar and close him out.
Blot:
Term
meaning a
single checker on a point. This is a
vulnerable position in backgammon.
Closed
board in Backgammon: When
a
player has 'made' all the points on
his inner board, his opponent will be unable to re-enter any checker he
may
have on the 'bar' into the game until an open point becomes available
again.
Cover:
To
shield a 'blot' with a second
checker, ensuring it is 'made'.
Crawford
Rule: Used only in
match play, when a player
reaches a score in which he is only one point away from winning the
match, his
opponent is not allowed to double in the next game.
Backgammon
Terms: D-F
Dance:
To
have
a checker on the bar, and to roll numbers
that are blocked in your opponent's home board and do not allow you to
re-enter. Also know as 'to fan', 'to flunk', as well
as 'to fail'.
Deep
anchor in Backgammon: A
'made
point' (see below) that is positioned
on your opponent's 1 point, 2 point, or 3 point. See also, ‘Anchor’ and
‘Advanced Anchor’.
Direct
shot: A 'blot' or
lone checker that can be hit with
a roll of six or less.
Drop:
Term
meaning to resign from a game when one's
opponent
'doubles' - to refuse the cube.
Equity:
The
chances of winning the game of backgammon.
Fly
shot: A checker
that can be hit with a roll of
seven or more. Also called indirect shot.
Backgammon
Terms: G - M
Golden
Point: The fifth
point in from the beginning of
one's own home board, also known as the 'five point'.
Hit
Loose: To hit one
of your opponent's 'blots', and be
unable to follow it up with another checkers, thereby leaving your own
exposed.
Holding
Game: This is a
strategy used by a player who is
behind in backgammon with the intention of hindering the opponent’s
ability to
bring his checkers home safely by holding on to one or more points on
their
opponent's side of the board.
Inner
board: The part of
the board nearest to the end
where you take your checkers off the board. This is the part of the
board
numbered 1-6 (the 'inner table', 'infield' or 'home board'.)
Jacoby
rule in Backgammon: This
rule
states that if neither player has
offered the doubling cube during the game, there cannot be a
gammon or
backgammon.
Made
point: Term meaning
a point with
two or more 'men' on it, which
ensures that it cannot be hit.
Men:
The
backgammon pieces or checkers, also known
as 'stones'.
Mid-point:
The
13
point in
backgammon.
Backgammon
Terms: N-R
Non-contact
position: The stage
of the game where both players' men
have passed each other, and so no more hits can happen.
Outer
table: The part of
the table closest to the player
that is next to his home board. Numbered 7-12, it
is also called the
'outer board'.
Point:
One
of
the triangular-shaped spaces on the
board, where the backgammon checkers are placed.
Prime:
A
consecutive row of four or more made points
that block or hinder the opponent's options to move. Six points row is
called a
'full prime'.
Racing
position: When both
opponents' checkers have passed
each other and no further hits are possible, there is a race to see who
will
reach home and bear off their checkers first. See also the 'non-contact
position'
above.
Return
shot: Term for when
a player
is hit and re-enters hitting
one of the opponent's checkers.
Backgammon
Terms: S-T
Slot:
To
move one checker onto a point, with the
intention of adding another to it later, thereby 'making' it.
Spare
in Backgammon:
An
extra
checker on a made point, which can
be moved without endangering the point.
Take:
Term
meaning to continue play after
having been doubled.
Timing:
The
state of play as it affects a certain
player. Generally it refers to maintaining a position when behind in
the race
to the finish. Backgammon Timing can more accurately be called 'tempo'.
Backgammon Terms is followed by Checkers, the
popular board game
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