Backgammon Strategy: How to Win More Games
You know the rules; now you want to win. These are the backgammon strategy ideas and tips that matter most, from the opening to the end game — the same principles strong players use, explained without jargon.
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Five game plans
Almost every game of backgammon is one of these plans, or a switch from one to another:
| Plan | When | Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Running game | You're ahead in the race | Avoid contact, bring checkers home safely |
| Priming game | Opponent's back checkers are still behind your points | Build a wall of consecutive points they can't jump |
| Blitz | Opponent has checkers on the bar, you have builders nearby | Hit and close your home board fast |
| Holding game | You're behind in the race | Keep an anchor in their home board and wait for a shot |
| Back game | Far behind, two anchors deep in their home | A last resort: hope for a late hit. Risky — gammons are common |
The opening: make points, use your rolls
Computers have studied the opening thoroughly, so learn the standard opening moves once and stop worrying about them. The headline: 3-1 makes your 5-point, 4-2 your 4-point, 6-1 your bar point, and 6-5 runs a back checker to safety. Early in the game, a blot in your outfield is often worth the risk if it gives you a builder for a new point.
The middle game
- Make points, not stacks. Two checkers make a point; five on one point waste three of them.
- The 5-point is the best point on the board. It blocks, it's a landing spot, and it's hard to make later.
- Count shots before leaving a blot. Within 6 points of an opposing checker a blot is in real danger; farther away it can only be hit by combinations. The full table is on luck or skill.
- Don't hit loose in your home board without a reason when your opponent's return shots would hurt you badly.
- Escape your back checkers in time. Two checkers stuck behind a five-point prime can lose the game by themselves.
- Hit when it gains you tempo. A hit costs your opponent pips and half a turn: they must enter before doing anything else.
The pip count: know who's winning the race
Add up how far each of your checkers has to go: a checker on your 13-point is 13 pips from bearing off, one on the bar is 25. At the start both players have 167. Your opponent's count is calculated the same way from their side. An average roll is worth about 8 pips, so being 8 pips ahead is roughly a roll ahead; being on roll is worth about 4 pips on its own.
Use it to choose a plan: clearly ahead — race and avoid contact; clearly behind — keep contact and hold an anchor. Turning on point numbers in the NARDEON settings makes counting much easier.
The end game and bearing off
- Bring checkers in without gaps. Fill your home points evenly so every roll bears off something.
- When your opponent still has a checker back, play safe. Clear points from the back, and avoid leaving a blot that could be hit and sent all the way round.
- In a pure race, take checkers off rather than shuffle them. Each checker removed is a checker you don't need to roll for later.
The exact rules, with examples: bearing off.
Gammons without a doubling cube
NARDEON plays without a doubling cube, so every game is played to the end and gammons count fully. That changes some decisions:
- When you're winning big, press for the gammon — closing out an opponent with several checkers back is worth 2 points, not 1.
- When you're losing, switch to saving the gammon early: get one checker borne off, or at least your stragglers out of the opponent's home to avoid a backgammon.
- Watch the match score. If you need only 1 point to win the match, a gammon is worth no more to you than a single win, so play safe. If your opponent needs 1 point and you need several, gammons are your best hope — take more risks to win one.
Practice the right way
- Play the computer on Master — it always plays the move it rates best, so you'll be punished for mistakes.
- Play people online and watch the replay of each match afterwards. Look at the moves where the game turned.
- Track your rating over time — it's the honest measure of progress. See backgammon rating.
Playing long nardy too? Its strategy is all about blocks and timing — see long nardy strategy.
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FAQ
What is the best strategy in backgammon?
There's no single one — the best players switch game plans as the dice change. But three habits win the most games: make points instead of leaving blots, keep track of the race with a pip count, and avoid being gammoned when you're behind.
How do you win at backgammon every time?
You can't — there's luck in every game. What you can do is win more often than your opponent over a match, by making the moves that leave you the fewest bad rolls.
What is a pip count?
The total number of points all your checkers still have to travel to bear off. At the start it's 167 for each player. Comparing pip counts tells you who leads the race.
What are the most important points to make?
Your 5-point first, then your 4-point and your bar point (7-point). Together with your 6-point they form the start of a prime that traps your opponent's back checkers.
How do I get better at backgammon?
Play a lot against the computer on Master, learn the opening moves, and watch replays of your online matches to find the moments where you went wrong.
Updated: October 24, 2026