At Deluxe Backgammon we have a diverse selection of backgammon sets to play on. How do you choose your own backgammon set? When choosing a backgammon set the main considerations are board type, size, playing surface, accessories and quality of the build. Board type Most backgammon sets come as a folding cabinet. The playing field is on the inside, which also acts as a storage space for the accessories. Attaché or briefcase-style sets include a carrying handle, which is useful if you are going to be transporting a set from place to place. Travel sets are typically made to roll up and generally ..read more

The ultimate goal of backgammon is to bear off all of your checkers before your opponent does. So, in essence, backgammon is a race. However, if backgammon was a pure race, then the result would be up to the dice and the result would be dictated by luck. This is simply not the case as it has been proven time and time again that backgammon is a game of skill. Luck certainly plays a part, but in the long run, the more skilful player will come out on top. Tactics and strategy are the elements of the game that help players overcome luck. Applying these correctly according to the state of play is a ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post we take a look at why, sometimes, it is worthwhile going back to basics. If you have played backgammon long enough to become an intermediate player, you will know that it is a game of skill. Luck can certainly come into play in the short term, but in the long run, luck evens out for both sides and skill will determine the winner. All backgammon players have experienced long spells of bad luck and this is when it is time to get back to basics. Luck Luck is part of what makes backgammon so addictive, the game can change with a single roll of the dice. Sometimes luc ..read more

In this Deluxe backgammon post for beginners, we take a look at making or securing points. In backgammon, the concept of breaking contact is to move past the last of the opponent’s checkers, so that no further hitting is possible.  At this point, the game becomes a pure race and the tactics are limited. It is all about who has the greatest lead or who rolls the best dice. However, prior to breaking contact, there are a number of tactics available on each move. Players have to decide between hitting, racing, slotting, splitting, moving builders and securing or making points.  The play ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we are going to explore the options for the 5-2 opening move. It is an intriguing opening, because the roll of the 5 is almost forced. The 5 can’t be played from the 24 or 6-points as they are both blocked. Playing the 5 from the 8-point and slotting the 3-point is a high-risk, low-value move. The only reasonable move for the 5 is the 13/8. The question is what to do with the 2? There are three viable options, we will take a look at each of these in turn. The three most popular ways to play the 5-2 opening roll are: 24/22, 13/8, splitting your back ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we are going to explore the options for the 5-1 opening move. It isn’t one of the favoured opening moves, as it doesn’t allow you to secure a new point.  Realistically, there are only a couple of ways to play this roll. There is a running option, but with a total of only six, it doesn’t do much for the pip count. The other two options involve splitting or slotting. We will examine each of these options in turn. The three most popular ways to play the 5-1 opening roll are:     24/18, running with one of the back checkers and slot ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we are going to explore the options for the 4-3 opening move.  It is an interesting opening because there are a number of very reasonable ways to play this roll. There are five viable options, we will take a look at each of these in turn. This is the last in our series of guides on the opening rolls. The other posts can be found in the Playing Guides section. The five most popular ways to play the 4-3 opening roll are: 24/21, 13/9, splitting the back checkers and bringing a builder down from the mid-point. 24/20, 13/10, splitting the back chec ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we are going to take a closer look at the 6-3 opening move. It is not one of the preferred opening rolls as it won’t secure a key point. There are two widely accepted plays for this roll. One is a clear gamble and the other applies a more balanced strategy. The idea is to choose the one that best suits your playing style and the state of the match. We will take an in-depth look at each of the plays below. The two widely accepted plays for a 6-3 opening roll in backgammon are 24/18, 13/10 or 24/15. The 24/18, 13/10 play applies a balanced strategy b ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we take a look at whether the first player has a distinct advantage in making the first move in backgammon. The simple answer is yes, in backgammon, the first player does have a slight advantage over the second player. The main advantage occurs because the first player is ahead in the race before the second player makes their move. This lead can be as small as 3 (opening roll of 2-1) or 11 (opening roll of 6-5). This is important because backgammon is a racing game. The second player does have an advantage in that they can reply to the opening move ..read more

In this Deluxe Backgammon post for beginners, we are going to examine the options for the 4-1 opening move. It certainly isn’t the best opening move, as it doesn’t allow you to secure a new point and with a total of five, it doesn’t do much for the pip count. Many beginners will make the mistake of moving a checker down from the mid-point to the 8-point. This is not an advisable move, because although it is safe, it does nothing for creating a flexible board structure. There are two reasonable ways to play this roll. The first is a relatively low-risk option involving splitting and the second ..read more