Basic Backgammon Vocabulary Trivia Quiz

Answer: an opening dice roll of six and five

A "lover's leap" in backgammon is an opening roll of 6-5 or 5-6. The best play for this roll is to move one of your back checkers from your back (24) point to your 13 point. Most experts agree that this is an unfavorable opening roll, since it forces you into a "running" game at an early stage in the game.

It also leaves the back checker unprotected in your opponent's home board. Unfortunately, there is probably no better alternative move for this roll.

Answer: a single checker which can be hit

A "blot" is an unprotected checker which occupies a point (space) by itself. A blot is the equivalent of a military straggler; it is alone, defenseless, and vulnerable to attack by the opponent. Any blot which is hit by an opponent must go back to the beginning of the board and start the game all over again. Unfortunately, leaving a blot is a common occurrence during a backgammon game.

Answer: the doubler

The "third die" in backgammon is called the doubler. It is used during a money game when a player thinks he/she has an advantage over the opponent. The player places the doubler cube on "2" and offers the opponent a choice, to continue the game at double the original stakes, or concede now. If the opponent declines the offer, the game is terminated at single stakes; if the opponent accepts, the game continues at double the stakes.

The player who accepts is then in control of the doubler; if he/she wishes to double again at a later point in the match, the doubler will then move up to "4" if the offer is accepted.

Answer: a group of six consecutive points which are blocked by two or more checkers per point

A "prime" is a group of six consecutive points which are blocked to the opponent because there are two or more checkers on each point. A prime is the equivalent of a military blockade. Enemy checkers cannot land or pass by a six-point prime - the largest number on the dice is six! Four-point and five-point blocks are also valuable in limiting the opponent's movements.

A player who can establish a prime has an excellent chance of winning the game.

Answer: the seven -point

In backgammon, the "bar" separates the board into two sections of six points on each side. The bar point is your own seven point (or your opponent's 18 point); it separates the middle zone from your own inner (home) board points. It is very important to control one or both of the bar points because such control will limit your opponent's mobility of his/her checkers.

Incidentally, checkers which have been hit (captured) are said to be "on the bar" - another term for being in prison. Any of your checkers which are "on the bar" must be rolled back into the game - the opponent's home board.

Answer: an anchor

An anchor is a strong position - two or more checkers inside your opponent's home board. An anchor constitutes a player's rear guard and can prove useful in limiting the opponent's checker movement inside his/her home board. An anchor can also be utilized to hit any blots left by the opponent. Sometimes an anchor can turn a losing game into a winning situation.

Answer: 35-1

In backgammon, the odds are 35-1 against rolling a double six in a single roll of the dice. The math involved in determining the odds is quite simple: there are six numbers on each die, and there are two dice. Thus, the total number of combinations is 6x6=36.

There is only way roll which will give you double sixes, and there are 35 rolls which will not yield double sixes. If you need a double six to win a game, you are in serious trouble!

Answer: a unit of distance

A "pip" is a unit of distance (one space) on a backgammon board. For example the distance between the 8-point and the 4-point on a board is four pips. In the beginning of a backgammon game, each player has a "pip count" of 167. That is, both players must move their 15 checkers a total of 167 pips, or spaces, including successful removal from the board, in order to win a game. Experienced backgammon players usually keep a running tally of the pip count while a game is in progress; this gives the player an approximate assessment of how the game is progressing.

Answer: bearing off

When all of your checkers have been moved into your home board, you are then entitled to "bear off" your men. The roll of the dice determines which checkers are to be borne off. If your opponent still has men inside your inner board, you must be especially careful not to leave a blot. Any one of your blots which is hit must go all the way back to the beginning of your opponent's home board and start again. You can't bear off any more checkers until all of your men are inside the home board.

Answer: a gammon

A gammon occurs when you can remove all of your checkers from the board before your opponent has managed to remove a single man. In tournaments or in money games, a gammon is usually worth a double victory- double points or double money. A "joker" is an incredibly lucky roll of the dice which affects the outcome of a game; a "builder" is a blot which can be used to shore up a point in subsequent moves; and a "beaver" is an immediate "double of a double" in a money game, which quadruples the original stakes in a backgammon game. (I would like to thank funtrivia quizmaker "sladeninj" for creating the first quiz on backgammon.)