Three Levels of Victory

In backgammon, there are three ways to win, each worth different amounts:

Victory Level Condition Point Value
Single game Opponent has borne off at least 1 checker 1× current stakes
Gammon Opponent has not borne off ANY checkers 2× current stakes
Backgammon Opponent has not borne off any AND has checkers in your home board or on the bar 3× current stakes

Gammon: The Double Win

A gammon occurs when you bear off all 15 of your checkers before your opponent has removed even one. It’s worth twice the current stakes.

How Common Are Gammons?

Between equally skilled players, approximately 25-30% of games result in a gammon. That’s a significant percentage — making gammon awareness essential for competitive play.

What Creates Gammon Opportunities?

  • Blitz attacks — aggressively hitting and building your board
  • Strong primes — trapping opponent checkers behind an impassable wall
  • Opponent with checkers on the bar — if they can’t enter while you’re bearing off
  • One-sided races — when you’re dramatically ahead

Backgammon: The Triple Win

A backgammon (the victory type, sharing the game’s name) is even more dominant. The opponent must:

  • Have NOT borne off any checkers, AND
  • Still have at least one checker in your home board or on the bar

Backgammons are worth 3× the stakes and are relatively rare (1-3% of games). They typically occur when:

  • A blitz traps multiple checkers on the bar
  • A prime keeps checkers locked deep in your board
  • The opponent never established any forward momentum

Interaction with the Doubling Cube

Gammons and backgammons multiply with the doubling cube:

Cube Value Single Win Gammon Backgammon
1 1 point 2 points 3 points
2 2 points 4 points 6 points
4 4 points 8 points 12 points
8 8 points 16 points 24 points

This interaction is crucial for cube decisions:

  • When deciding whether to take a double, gammon risk matters enormously
  • If there’s a high chance of being gammoned, you need more winning chances to accept
  • If you might win a gammon, this increases the value of doubling

Strategic Implications

Playing for the Gammon

Sometimes it’s correct to play for a gammon instead of just trying to win:

  • In money play: Always maximize expected value (gammons are worth extra)
  • In match play: Gammons only help if the extra points advance your position meaningfully

The “Too Good to Double” Scenario

If your gammon chances are very high, you might decide not to double:

  • If you double and the opponent drops, you win 1 point
  • If you play on without doubling, you might win 2 points (gammon) or even 3 (backgammon)
  • This “too good” decision only applies in extreme situations

Gammon Saves

When your opponent is playing for a gammon against you, your priority shifts:

  • Bear off at least one checker to reduce from gammon to single loss
  • This is called a “gammon save”
  • Sometimes it’s worth making an otherwise sub-optimal move if it helps you bear off a checker

Match Play Considerations

In match play (playing to a set number of points), gammon value depends on the score:

  • If winning a single game gets you to the target score, a gammon has no extra value
  • If you need exactly 2 more points and the cube is at 1, a gammon wins the match outright
  • Gammon-go situations: when you need 2 points, double to 2, and any win (gammon or single) finishes the match

Understanding these score-dependent gammon values is an advanced skill that separates tournament players from casual players.