Backgammon Opening Moves: How to Play the 2–1 Roll

In This section you will learn how to move in the best way when you get a first opening roll of 2-1 during the start of the backgammon game.

For this opening move, there is one recommended option that has the most advantages.

Split Your Two Backgammon Checkers and Bring a Builder Down

• With the 1 dice score, Split your two checkers on the top right of the board, and move one of them one point to the left (24>23).
• With the 2 dice score, Move the checker on the top left of the backgammon board, two points to the lower left of the board (13>11).

Splitting your two checkers has a few advantages over other backgammon opening moves:

1. This opening move gives you a better coverage of the board in case your opponent has an exposed checker.
2. You have a better chance of securing a backgammon anchor in a preferred point.
3. It is easier to advance at least one of your checkers forward.
4. There is little risk of being hit by your opponent, because then your backgammon opponent exposes himself to be hit.

The Opening move to the 11th backgammon point also has some advantages:

1. After the first few opening moves, you can better hit your opponents checkers that are in your home board if he decides to split them, and also to hit and at the same time create a new two checker point.
2. You can close new backgammon points with two or more checkers through a larger variety of rolls.
3. The only way that checker is hit is if your opponent rolls an opening move of 6-4.

Playing backgammon opening moves also has to do with the specific player you are playing against. If you know his playing style and strategy, you might what to use other opening moves, because he may reply to these moves differently.