10 Strategic Principles

These principles will take your backgammon from beginner to solid player. They apply across most situations — though experienced players learn when to break the rules.

1. Make Points

The most fundamental concept in backgammon. A point is made when you have two or more checkers on it. Made points:

  • Block opponent movement — they can’t land there
  • Protect your checkers — a point can’t be hit
  • Build toward a prime — consecutive points create an impassable wall

Priority points to make:

  • The 5-point (your own) — the most valuable single point
  • The bar point (7-point) — blocks opponents trying to escape
  • The 4-point — extends your home board
  • Opponent’s 5-point — an advanced anchor that’s hard to dislodge

2. Hit When It Makes Sense

Hitting (landing on an opponent’s blot) is usually good because it:

  • Sends the opponent back to the bar
  • Costs them a full turn (or more) to re-enter
  • Disrupts their plans

Good times to hit:

  • When the opponent’s blot is in your home board (harder for them to escape)
  • When you have several made points in your home board (harder to re-enter)
  • When hitting also gains you a valuable point

Be cautious hitting when:

  • Your checker will be left as a blot with many hostile checkers nearby
  • You’re far ahead in the race and want to avoid complications

3. Don’t Leave Blots in Your Home Board

A blot (single checker) in your home board is dangerous because:

  • If hit, it disrupts your home board structure
  • Your home board is where you need the most security
  • It makes bearing off harder later

Keep your home board points secure with 2+ checkers each.

4. Build a Prime

A prime is a series of consecutive made points. A 6-point prime is a wall the opponent cannot pass — they must wait for it to break.

Building a prime:

  1. Start by making the points closest to your opponent’s back checkers
  2. Extend the prime point by point
  3. Trap your opponent’s checkers behind the prime
  4. Slowly advance the prime toward your home board

Even a 4 or 5-point prime is extremely powerful.

5. Keep Your Back Checkers Moving

You start with 2 checkers on the 24-point (deep in your opponent’s home board). These back checkers need to escape:

  • Make an anchor — secure a point in your opponent’s home board for safety
  • Look for escape rolls — large doubles can move back checkers to safety quickly
  • Don’t let them get trapped — if your opponent builds a prime in front of them, they’re stuck

6. Balance Safety and Aggression

Good backgammon is about risk management:

  • Safe play — make points, avoid blots, play solidly
  • Aggressive play — hit blots, play boldly, take risks for big gains

The right balance depends on the game state:

  • If you’re ahead, play more safely to protect your lead
  • If you’re behind, take calculated risks to catch up
  • In the early game, slight aggression builds stronger positions

7. Understand the Race

At some point, all contact between the pieces breaks and the game becomes a race — both players trying to bear off first. Key race concepts:

  • Pip count — the total number of pips (spaces) your checkers must travel
  • Lower pip count = ahead in the race — if you’re ahead, simplify
  • If you’re behind in the race, create contact and complications

8. Use the Bar Wisely

When you hit an opponent to the bar:

  • Make more points in your home board to make re-entry difficult
  • A strong home board + opponent on the bar = massive advantage

When you’re on the bar:

  • You must re-enter before doing anything else
  • Getting back quickly is critical — don’t panic, but prioritize

9. Think About Bearing Off Early

Bear-off strategy starts long before you actually bear off:

  • Spread your checkers evenly across your home board points
  • Avoid gaps — a checker on the 6-point with nothing else is inefficient
  • Get all checkers home first — you can’t bear off until all 15 are in your home board

10. Learn When to Double

The doubling cube is a critical part of backgammon (even though it’s technically optional). Basic doubling principles:

  • Double when you have a clear advantage — force your opponent to decide whether to continue
  • Take a double when you have at least 25% winning chances — the math works in your favor
  • Don’t double too early — if the position is unclear, wait for it to develop
  • Don’t wait too long to double — if you wait until you’re certain to win, your opponent will just decline

See The Doubling Cube for a complete guide.