Backgammon Points: Names and Roles

The 24 points on a backgammon board are not equal. Some are worth fighting for from the first roll, others matter only late in the game. Knowing the names helps you read books and commentary, and knowing the roles helps you choose moves. If you need a reminder of how points are numbered, see board set-up.

Making a point

A point is made when you have two or more checkers on it. A made point is safe from hits and closed to the opponent, who cannot land on it. A single checker is a blot and can be hit. Most of backgammon is about making the right points and leaving as few blots as you can.

The 5-point (golden point)

Your 5-point is the most valuable point to make early. It sits in the middle of your home board, blocks the opponent's back checkers and is a good landing spot for your own checkers. It is also the point the opponent most wants as an anchor, which is why it is often called the golden point. The opening 3-1, played 8/5 6/5, is rated the best opening roll because it makes this point at once.

The bar point (7-point)

The 7-point sits in your outer board right next to the bar. Together with your 6-point and 8-point it forms a wall that is hard for back checkers to jump. The opening 6-1, played 13/7 8/7, makes it immediately. With the 4-point, 5-point, 6-point and bar point you are well on your way to a prime.

The midpoint (13-point)

Five of your checkers start on the 13-point, in the opponent's outer board. It works as a staging post: checkers coming from the back can land there safely, and checkers leave it to build points in your own half. Keeping it for a while gives you flexibility.

The ace point (1-point)

Your 1-point, at the deep edge of your home board, is the last point checkers reach. Making it early usually puts checkers out of play, so it is rarely a good idea in the opening. Late in a game, when you have hit several checkers or are closing your board, it becomes important. Your opponent's ace point is your 24-point, where your back checkers start.

Anchors

An anchor is a point you hold in the opponent's home board. It gives your back checkers a safe base and a place to enter from the bar. The opponent's 5-point (your 20-point) is the strongest anchor: it is hard to block and it watches the outer board. Your 21-point (the opponent's 4-point) is also good. Deeper anchors on the 24-point and 23-point are easier to keep but leave you more likely to be primed.

Splits

Moving one back checker off the 24-point is called splitting. A small split goes to the 23-point or 22-point; a big split goes farther, such as to the 21-point or 20-point. Splits invite the two back checkers to make an anchor together, at the cost of leaving blots.

Primes and closed boards

A prime is a row of made points. A full prime of six points in a row cannot be passed at all. When you hold all six points of your home board, your board is closed: a checker on the bar cannot enter and its owner loses the whole turn.

The table shows why every home board point counts: each extra point you make costs the opponent many entering rolls. More of these numbers are on the backgammon math page, and the opening moves page shows which rolls make which points.