PART1: Backgammon Early Game Terms:
It’s critical for an apprentice to know backgammon language in order to understand the game’s literature which are usually can be seen in explained matches, books, and articles from backgammon experts. One of the areas in backgammon jargon deals with game terms. Those are unique terminologies for every backgammon players as they are used in the course of a game. This article discusses some of the jargons and technical terms that are often used and the ones that become quite confusing when we talk about backgammon.
Backgammon is played on a board made of 24 points. Every player has 15 checkers (generally white and dark, or white and red). The points represent the spaces where the checkers can be moved. The board is separated in its middle by the bar. At the point when a checker is hit, it is put on this middle area.
Checkers: One of the 30 pieces used as men in the game of backgammon. Each players starts the game with 15 checkers. Sometimes called counters, stones or men.
The Bar: is located at the extremely center of your backgammon board. it is that ridge that divides your board in two. Incidentally, this is where your board folds’ equal parts, that is if your backgammon board is the type that folds like a chess board. Each checker that is hit is sent to the bar which is some kind of beginning line for all checkers before entering a home board.
Each player rolls a single die. The player with the higher roll goes first. The roll of the dice indicates how many points; the player is to move his checkers.
Points: are the 24 triangles on the game board. At the point when players say they made a point it implies they have placed more than one checker on one of these points. Conversely, a blot is a jargon that means a point occupied by a single checker.
When a player rolls both dice having the same value it is called Double Roll.
Double Roll: To roll the same number on both dice – when you roll doubles you play the number four times. When you roll a double you play the number four times. Rolling doubles is advantageous in a racing game or when bearing off checkers from your home board. In other words, if you roll double 5s, you can take four moves of 5 spaces using any combination of checkers.
A point occupied by a single checker of either color is called a blot. If an opposing checker lands on a blot, the blot is hit and placed on the bar.
Blot: A single checker alone on a point is called a blot. Blots are in danger of being hit and sent back to the Bar.
Hit: A hit is to knock off a player’s lone checker from a point sending it to the bar.
Make Points by slotting. These will be the basis of your backgammon strategy for the opening phase of every game you play. The great places to slot and land your builders are on the five-points of both sides of the backgammon board.
Slot: To place a single checker on a point (1) you wish to make with the intention of covering the blot on your next turn.
Builder: A checker brought into your outer board where it bears directly onto one or more key points that you want to make.
Sometimes when you make a point that point you have owned or controlled is called an anchor, which also serves as a safety zone where your checkers can land in peace. Bringing down checkers from the mid-point helps you build primes, add anchors, and to contain enemy checkers in a backgammon game.
Anchor: A point you hold in your opponent’s board with two or more checkers. You start the game with an anchor on your opponent’s 1 point.
There are Two types of Anchor:
High Anchor: is when a player owns the 21, 20 or 19 point, or even the 18 point (Bar Point)
Low Anchor: would be one made on the 24, 23 or 22 point.
Mid-Point: The 13 point of your board.
Prime: A prime is a row of anchors you have made. These anchors are built side by side for the purpose of containing or trapping opposing checkers.