Ace
The number one, especially as it refers to a number on the dice. The “ace point” or “1pt” is a player’s lowest inner board point.

Anchor
A defensive point with two or more checkers. A “deep anchor” is on the opponent’s 1pt, 2pt or 3pt. An “advanced anchor” is on the opponent’s 4pt, 5pt or 7pt.

Back Checker, Back Piece See “Checker”

Backgame
A game in which a player makes at least two points in the opponent’s home board, hoping to hit a winning shot late in the game.

Backgammon

A game that ends with one player’s bearing off his last checker while one or more of his opponent’s checkers are between her 24pt and 19pt, inclusive. A player who wins a backgammon is awarded three times the value of the game or cube.

Bar (also “Roof”).
The raised vertical strip dividing the left and right halves of the board, where a checker is placed after it is hit.

Bar Point
A player’s 7pt, located physically adjacent to the bar.

Bear On
To exert direct pressure or influence. A builder “bears on” its target (a blot or vacant point) when it is in front of and within 6 pips of that target.

Blitz
An attack launched against the opponent’s back checker(s), none of which are anchored. The ultimate goal of a blitz is to “close out” the opponent. “Blitz” is often used as a verb.

Block
To restrain the movement of one or more enemy checkers by owning one or more points in front of the opponent.

Blot
A single checker on a point. A blot is vulnerable to being hit.

Blunder
A large error in game play. One that loses a substantial amount of equity in the current game or match. In recent times, often also called "Whopper".

Board
1. The playing surface of all 24 points (plus the bar). 2. One quarter of the playing surface, comprised of six points (see “Home Board”, “Inner Board,” “Outer Board”). 3. Short for “inner board.” A board with many points (or including the 5pt or 4pt as well as the 6pt) is strong. A three-point board is stronger than a two-point board.

Bot
The abbreviation for robot. A computer program that plays backgammon.

Break
To reduce the number of checkers on a point from two or more to one (or none).

Builder
A checker that is within 6 pips of — and can be used beneficially to make — a vacant or slotted point.

Checker (also “Piece”)
One of 30 circular playing pieces, 15 of which are Black and 15 White. A “back checker” is any piece in the opponent’s home board.

Close Out
To make all six inner board points with opponent’s checker(s) on the bar.

Contact
A measure of the likelihood that a player (especially the one trailing) will eventually hit. The more checkers one or both sides have back, the greater the contact.

Cover
To add a second checker to a point that formerly had only one checker.

Cube
1. The six-faced object containing the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64, used to raise the stakes of a game. 2. The act of doubling the stakes by giving the opponent the cube. To “recube” means to redouble the stakes.

Deep
On a player’s 1pt, 2pt or 3pt. The 1pt is “deeper” than the 3pt. See also “Low.”

Deuce
The number two, especially as it refers to a number on the dice. The “deuce point” or “2pt” is a player’s second lowest inner board point.

Direct
Within 6 pips. See also “direct shot” under “Shot.”

Distribution
The allocation of a player’s checkers onto various points. A good distribution is one in which the stacks on each point are balanced so that rolls will play flexibly, with minimal chance of stripping or breaking important points.

Diversify Compare with “Duplicate.”
To increase the quantity of constructive numbers. A player does well to “diversify” his own numbers on the next roll.

DMP
A match score at which a gammon by either player will gain essentially no more than winning a single game.

Double
Two or twice. For “double gap,” “double hit,” “double shot,” “double slot,” see “gap,” “hit,” “shot” and “slot.” 2. Doublet. For usage of “double” when preceding a number from 1 to 6, see “Doublet.” 3. To cube.

Doublet
A roll with the same number on both dice, such as 66, referred to as “double 6s.” A doublet enables the roller to play that number four times. A “non-doublet” is a roll with different numbers on the two dice, such as 53.

Down
The movement of checker(s) from the midpoint to the outer board.

Duplicate Compare with “Diversify.”
To reduce the quantity of constructive numbers by limiting the same good number(s) to more than one place on the board. A player does well to “duplicate” his opponent’s numbers. “Triplication” and “quadruplication” are specific cases of duplication that give the same good number(s) in exactly three or four places.

Enter
To move from the bar into the opponent’s home board. The opposite of “fan.”

Escape
To move one or more checkers from the opponent’s inner board to safety.

Expose
To leave a blot where it is vulnerable to being hit on the opponent’s next roll.

Fan
1. To fail to enter sometimes called "dance". 2. One of 36 numbers that fail to enter. If Black has three inner points and hits, White will fan with 9 numbers — she is said to have 9 fans.

Favorite
The player whose position (or level of skill) gives him more than a 50% chance of winning. The opposite of “underdog.”

Fly Shot See “Shot”

Gammon
A game that ends with one player’s bearing off his last checker while all 15 of his opponent’s checkers are between her 1pt and 18pt, inclusive. A player who wins a gammon is awarded twice the value of the game or cube.

Gammon Go
A match score at which a player’s winning a gammon is exceptionally valuable, and losing a gammon is essentially the same as losing a single game.

Gammon Save
A match score at which a player’s losing a gammon is exceptionally costly, and winning a gammon is essentially the same as winning a single game.

High
Referring to a relatively high-numbered point. The 6pt is the “highest” point in the inner board, but the 8pt is “higher” than the 6pt.

Hit
1. To move a checker to a point occupied by an enemy blot, placing it on the bar. “Hit-and-down,” “hit-and-split,” “hit-and-run,” and “hit-and-up” are moves that enable the player to both hit and perform the other indicated function on the same roll “Hit loose” means to hit in the inner board, leaving a blot 2. One of 36 numbers that hits. See “Shot.”

Hit-and-cover
When hyphenated: One of 36 numbers that both hits an enemy blot and covers a blot, not necessarily with the same checker.

Home
Pertaining to the home board. A player must bring his/her checkers “home” (into the home board) before taking them off.

Home Board (also “Inner Board”)
The quarter of the playing surface containing a player’s 1pt through 6pt.

Inner Board (also “Home Board” )
The quarter of the playing surface containing a player’s 1pt through 6pt.

Inner, Inside
Referring to the area in a player’s inner board.

Key Point
One of the most strategically valuable points on the board The “key offensive points” are a player’s 7pt, 5pt and 4pt. The “key defensive points” are a player’s 18pt, 20pt and 21pt, which are the same as the opponent’s 7pt, 5pt and 4pt.

Lift
To move an offensive blot to the safety of an occupied point.

Low (see also “Deep”).
Referring to a relatively low-numbered point. The 6pt is “lower” than any outfield point, and the 1pt is the “lowest” point on the board.

Man See “Checker”

Match
A contest between two backgammon players, played to a specified number of points, usually with the cube.

Midpoint
A player’s 13pt. A player’s “midpoint” bears on his or her entire outer board.

Miss
1. To fail to hit. 2. One of 36 numbers that fails to hit. If Black has an ace shot, he is said to have “11 hits and 25 misses.”

Money
1. (uncapitalized): Non-tournament game(s) played for stakes. 2. (capitalized): A match score at which gammons count full value (twice a single win) for both sides. “Money” approximates most match situations.

Nackgammon
A variation of backgammon in which each side starts with four back checkers instead of two. Nackgammon games are more complex and interesting than backgammon. This variant was invented by Nack Ballard.

Non-doublet See “Doublet”

Number
1. One of 36 possible combinations thrown by two dice. Contrast with “Roll.” 2. (used less often): A roll from 1 to 6 thrown by either of two dice.

Opening
1. Pertaining to the very first move or roll of the game. The “opening roll” is the first roll, and the “opening play” or “opening move” is the first move. Contrast with “Response.” 2. The stage of a game during which the first few moves are played.

Outer Board
The quarter of the playing surface containing a player’s 7pt through 12pt. “Outer” pertains to the outer board.

Outfield
The combined outer boards: the half of the board containing the 7pt through the 18pt. “Outside” generally pertains to the outfield.

Pass
To decline the cube offered by the opponent, thereby conceding the game instead of doubling the number of (match) points staked on the outcome of the game.

Piece See “Checker”

Pip
1. The distance between two adjacent points. 2. A spot on the dice.

Pipcount
The minimum number of pips that a player must play to take off all 15 checkers.

Point
1. One of 24 locations on the board depicted by long triangles. 2. Two or more checkers occupying the same triangle. A “deep point” is a player’s 1pt, 2pt or 3pt. An “inner point” or “inside point” is any point in a player’s inner board. An “outer point” is a point from a player’s 7pt through 12pt. An “outfield point” is a point from the 7pt through 18pt. An “offensive point” is a point from the player’s 1pt through 11pt. A “defensive point” is a point from the opponent’s 1pt through 11pt. To “make a point” is to move two checkers to the same vacant point, and “point-making” pertains to a roll or number that makes a point. To “point on” an opponent is to make a point formerly occupied by an opponent’s blot

Prime
1. A set of consecutive points (especially four or more) all occupied by the same player. For example, a “five-prime” is a set of five such points. 2. To block with a prime. “Priming” can be used as a verb, a noun or an adjective.

Prime versus Pr ime, Priming Battle
A game in which each side has one or more enemy checkers behind a prime.

Pure, Purity
A style that favors priming, often at the expense of the race, frequently slotting in order to increase the chance of making the key offensive points.

Quadruplicate See Duplicate

Race
A comparison of Black’s pipcount to White’s pipcount. When Black has a smaller pipcount (than White), he is said to be “ahead” or “leading” in the race. When Black has a bigger pipcount, he is said to be “behind” or “trailing” in the race.

Recube See “Cube”

Response
The second roll or second move of the game. This is the first roll or move of the player who does not win the opening roll. Compare with “Opening.”

Return Shot See “Shot”

Reverse, Reverse Split
A play that splits with the smaller number of a roll and comes down from the midpoint with the bigger number. Compare with “Split,” definition 2.

Roof (also “Bar”).
The raised vertical strip dividing the left and right halves of the board, where a checker is placed when it is hit.

Roll
1. A turn or throw of the dice. 2. One of 21 distinct combinations of the dice A throw of 54 is one roll but two “numbers” (54, 45), while 44 is one roll, one number.

Rollout
A procedure (usually performed by a computer) in which the identical position is played or “rolled out” a large number of times in order to determine the strengths of various checker plays or cube decisions.

Run
To move a back checker into the outfield.

Safe, Safer, Safest
Pertaining to a play that leaves no shots or relatively few shots.

Shot
1. A chance to hit. A “single shot” or “direct shot” is a shot at a blot 1 to 6 pips away. A “fly shot” is a shot at a blot 7 or more pips away in the outfield. A “double shot” is a shot at two blots (or at one blot from two different possible hitting checkers) 1 to 6 pips away. 2. One of 36 numbers that hits, also called a “hit”. Similarly, a “return shot” is one of 36 numbers that hits back

Slot
To play one checker to an unoccupied offensive point (usually 7pt or lower). To “double slot” is to slot two such points on the same move.

Spare
A third or subsequent checker on a point. At the beginning of the game, the 6pt has a total of five checkers, three of which are “spares.”

Split
1. To break a point in the opponent’s board by moving one of the two checkers no further than the opponent’s 7pt. 2. A play that splits with the bigger number of a roll and comes down from the midpoint with the smaller number.

Stack
1. Five or more checkers on the 6pt or midpoint, or four or more checkers on any other point. 2. To add a checker to a point that already contains at least three checkers. To “unstack” is to play one or more checkers from a stacked (“tall”) point.

Start
To move a blot to a vacant point, usually on the opponent’s side of the board, with a chance to cover that point on the following roll.

Strip
To reduce a point to two checkers. A “stripped” point has exactly two checkers.

Swing
1. The difference in equity between two possible outcomes. 2. A roll or number that plays significantly better in one position than another.

Take
Accepting the cube offered by the opponent, thereby agreeing to double the number of points staked on the outcome of the game.

Tall See “Stack”

Triplicate See Duplicate

Two-down
A move that plays two checkers from the midpoint to the outer board.

Two-up
A move that advances two back checkers to different points.

Underdog
A player whose position (or level of skill) gives him less than a 50% chance of winning. The opposite of “Favorite.”

Unstack See also “Stack,” definition 2.
To play one or more checkers from a stacked point.

Up
Advancing one or more back checkers no further than the opponent’s 7pt.

Wild
A move that both splits to a defensive point and slots an offensive point.

Zone
The area consisting of a player’s home board plus any outfield points within 6 pips of an unmade inner point. Each player begins the game with eight checkers in the zone or “eight in the zone."

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