Backgammon glossary

The Backgammon Board
The backgammon board is the board on which the game is played; also called the backgammon table.

Points
The 24 triangles on the board are called points. The term point can also refer to the score for winning one game.

The Inner/Home Board
The inner or home board is the section of the board from which the checkers are removed from the game.

The Outer Board
The outer board refers to the two quarters of the board which are neither side's home board.

The Bar
The bar is the bar which separates the two halves of the board, and it is also called the rail. This is where checkers wait to enter the board after being hit.

Checker
A backgammon piece is called a checker or a marker.

Position
Position refers to the layout of the checkers on the backgammon board.

Pip Count
The pip count is the total number of points that a player still needs in order to bear off all his men. At the beginning of the game, each player has a pip count of 167.

To Make a Point
To make a point is to put two checkers on a point, giving you control over the point.

Control a Point
To control a point is to have at least two checkers on a point so your opponent cannot land on it.

Anchor
An anchor is a point controlled in the opponents home board.

Blot
When a single checker is on a point, vulnerable to being hit, it is a blot.

To Hit
To hit is to bump or knock off an opponents blot by landing on it.

Direct Hit
A direct hit is a hit using the number on one of the dice.

Enter
Entering refers to coming into the opponents home board from the bar.

Bear In
To bear in is to move checkers to the home board.

To Bear Off
To bear off is to remove a checker from the board.

A Pip
The number on the die / the number of spaces the checker moves.

A Cocked Die
A die that lands badly is said to be "cocked" and both of the dice must be thrown again.

Doubles
When the dice both show the same number, it is treated as four dice with that number.

Point on a Blot
When you hit a blot with two checkers and make a point.

Split
split is to separate two checkers that had been on one point.

Slot
slot is to leave an unprotected checker (a blot) on a point.

Builder
builder is a single checker on a point which the owner intends to add another checker to.

Prime
A prime is a situation is which six sets of checkers are on consecutive points blocking the opponent's men who are behind the prime.

Preclear
To vacate a high point in your home board before all your men are in your home board, in preparation for bearing off.

Gammon
A gammon is a situation in which the losing player has not borne off any men by the time the winner has finished bearing off. In this case, the winner receives twice the value of the doubling cube.

Backgammon
It is called backgammon if the losing player has not borne off any men and still has one or more checkers in the winner's home board or on the bar when the winner has finished bearing off. In this case, the winner receives three times the value of the doubling cube.

The Cube
The cube, also called the doubling cube, is a cube with one of the following numbers on each of its six sides: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64. The cube is used for one player to offer the other the option of doubling the stakes of the game.

To Own the Cube
The last player to accept the offer of doubling the stakes owns, or has control of, the cube.

To Take
To take is to accept an offer to double the stakes and get possession of the doubling cube.

To Pass
To pass is to turn down the offer to double the stakes and forfeit the game, also referred to as folding.

To Resign
To resign is to forfeit the game.

Crawford Rule
In match play, the first game in which one player is a single point from winning is called the Crawford game, and the Crawford rule states that during this game, no doubling is allowed. Game values can still be doubled or tripled in gammon or backgammon wins.

Beaver
When a player immediately redoubles and retains ownership of the cube, it is called a beaver. His opponent may accept or refuse the redouble. This option is available in most, but not all online backgammon games.

Back Game
When a player is behind in the race but has at least two anchors in his opponent's home board, he may play a back game strategy in which he hits a late shot and tries to contain his opponent's checker behind a prime.

Game Plan
There are three main game plans (strategies): run, block, and attack.

Running Strategy
A running strategy employs as little interaction with the opponent as possible.

Blocking Strategy
In a blocking strategy, the player attempts to build blockades.

Attacking Strategy
In an attacking strategy, the player hits and closes out the opponent by controlling the points in his home board.

End of Play
End play is the portion of the game when at least one of the players has started to bear off.