How to win at Backgammon — running, priming, the doubling cube, and the key decisions that separate winners from losers.

Backgammon combines dice luck with deep strategy. You can’t control the dice, but you can control your responses to them. These strategies maximize your advantage with every roll.

Strategy 1: Don’t Leave Blots

A blot is a single piece on a point. It can be hit and sent to the bar, losing you tempo.

Situation Risk Level
Blot within 6 pips of opponent High — 1 die can hit
Blot within 12 pips of opponent Medium — needs specific roll
Blot with only 1 roll that hits Low — usually acceptable
Blot in your home board Lower — opponent’s pieces may be ahead

The rule: Whenever possible, move pieces in pairs. Two or more on a point is safe. One is dangerous.

Strategy 2: Know When to Race vs. Prime

The Racing Strategy

  • When to use: You’re ahead in the pip count (fewer total pips to bear off)
  • How: Move pieces forward as fast as possible. Avoid engagement with opponent’s pieces. Get all pieces into your home board and bear off quickly.
  • Key metric: Count your total pips vs. opponent’s. Ahead by 15+? Race.

The Priming Strategy

  • When to use: You’re behind in the pip count or opponent has pieces trapped
  • How: Build a prime — 6 consecutive points with 2+ pieces. This creates a wall that opponent’s trapped pieces can’t pass.
  • Goal: Trap 1-2 opponent pieces behind your prime while advancing your other pieces

The Back Game

  • When to use: You’re significantly behind (several pieces hit)
  • How: Hold 2 points in your opponent’s home board, build a strong home board yourself, and wait to hit an opponent blot as they try to bear off
  • Risk: If you don’t hit, you’ll lose badly. But if you do hit, the game swings dramatically.

Strategy 3: Use Opening Rolls Wisely

Roll Best Opening Move
6-1 Make the bar point (your 7-point)
3-1 Make the 5-point
4-2 Make the 4-point
5-3 Make the 3-point
6-5 Run one back piece to midpoint
6-4 Run one back piece to 2-point
5-1 Move 13-8, 24-23
Doubles Varies — consult an opening book

Priority: Making points (especially the 5-point and bar point) is generally better than running or hitting.

Strategy 4: The Doubling Cube

The doubling cube is where Backgammon becomes a game of nerve and mathematics.

When to Double:

  • You estimate 70%+ chance of winning
  • Your position has strong winning threats (well-timed prime, bearing-off lead)
  • Putting pressure on opponent to make a tough decision

When to Accept a Double:

  • You estimate 25%+ chance of winning (you’re getting 3:1 odds on a 2:1 cube)
  • The position is still volatile (big swings possible)
  • You have game-changing threats (potential hits, prime escapes)

When to Drop (Refuse the Double):

  • You estimate less than 25% chance of winning
  • Opponent has a dominant position (full prime, big race lead)
  • Better to lose 1 point than risk losing 2

Strategy 5: Bear Off Efficiently

When all your pieces are in your home board:

  • Use the largest die first when possible
  • Don’t leave gaps — evenly distributed pieces bear off more efficiently
  • Don’t leave blots during bear-off — getting hit late is devastating
  • Exact numbers: A 6 always bears off from the 6-point. If no piece is on the 6-point, you must bear off from the highest occupied point.

Strategy 6: Hit When Profitable

Scenario Hit?
Enemy blot in your home board Yes — sends them way back
Enemy blot with your pieces nearby for coverage Yes — hit and cover
Enemy blot but you’ll leave a blot yourself Depends — count return hits
Hit using a piece from your prime Risky — weakens your prime

The math: Hitting sends opponent’s piece 25+ pips backward (average). That’s enormous. Hit when the risk of your own exposure is lower than the value of the hit.

Common Mistakes

  1. Running all pieces forward without a plan — Choose race, prime, or back game
  2. Leaving blots in your opponent’s home board — Getting hit there costs 20+ pips
  3. Never doubling — The cube is a weapon; use it
  4. Accepting every double — Sometimes dropping is the smart play
  5. Not counting pips — You can’t choose a strategy without knowing who’s ahead in the race

Practice at Rare Pike Backgammon →.