Replies on Backgammon Opening Moves

To reply on backgammon opening moves correctly, you need to learn about the ability to evaluate your opponent and analyze the backgammon board. This is a very crucial part of online backgammon.

There are 15 possible opening rolls to reply to, because during the starting rolls a player cannot roll doubles. As a reply, there are 21 possible replies to each of the rolls, and an advanced player knows exactly how to correlate each reply to the right backgammon opening moves.

In this guide, we will give you a complete explanation of the various moves you can do as a reply to backgammon opening moves.

A Non Double Reply to Opening Moves

• 5-3, 4-2, 6-1, 3-1 : With any of these rolls you play the same way as the backgammon opening moves would, meaning you move checkers that have a one point gap and make a new row in one of the points. For example, with the 3-1, you make the five point by moving your 8 point and your 6 point. The exception to this backgammon reply is if you can hit your opponent on the 9,10, or 11 point.
• 6-4, 6-5 : With this roll you should use your backgammon reply to advance your checkers in your opponents homeboard, unless you can hit in your homeboard with 6-4.
• 6-3, 6-2 : Usually the 18 and the 10/11 points are preferred as replies, but if you can hit, hit! You can also move to the 15/16 point.
• 5-4 : Here you should hit your opponent's side, if his backgammon opening moves allow it. With this move you can split your checkers as a backgammon reply, but make sure you do it on your opponent's side of the board.
• 4-3, 3-2 : With this move, hitting the four and five point is advised. You can also hit two checkers down.
• 5-1, 4-1 : With this roll you can split your upper checkers. You can also hit the 7/5 and 1 point if your opponent made a split.
• 2-1 : Here hitting is preferred, as a reply to the backgammon opening move. Otherwise make the 11 and 23 points.
• 5-2 : Hitting is possible with this roll. You can also make the 8 and 22 points.

A Double Backgammon Reply

• 6-6 : With the double six it is advised to make both bar points. The bar point is the point that is just next to the bar, and it has good blocking power and holds an important position on the board. If one of the 18th bar points is made in the backgammon opening moves by the opponent , you can also make the two point in your homeboard.
• 5-5 : If there is an backgammon opening move of a split, you should try and hit it with the double 5. Another option is to grasp the 3rd points and thus start some sort of homeboard block.
• 4-4 : Here you use the same strategy and try to reply by hitting your opponent. Otherwise, you can make the nine point or 20 point.
• 3-3 : Here you should also try and hit your opponent, on the five and three points, otherwise make the 21 and 10 points.
• 2-2 : If you can, hit your opponent in the 20 point and make the 4 point. another option with this roll is to make your 4, 11 or 22 points. Whatever you do, don’t be tempted to hit the 16 or the bar point.
• 1-1 : The best reply for this backgammon opening move is making the 5 point and the 7 bar point. Otherwise, you can make the 4 point, or make the 5 point and make a split on the 22 point.

Felicity Stone - Technical Writer