An Anchor
An anchor is a point controlled in the opponent's home board.
Attacking Strategy
In an attacking strategy, the player hits and closes out the opponent by controlling the points in his home board.
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.
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.
Backgammon Board
The backgammon board is the board on which the game is played; also called the backgammon table.
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.
Bear Off
To bear off is to remove a checker from the board.
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.
Blocking Strategy
In a blocking strategy, the player attempts to build blockades.
Blot
When a single checker is on a point, vulnerable to being hit, it is a blot.
Builder
A builder is a single checker on a point which the owner intends to add another checker to.
Checker
A backgammon piece is called a checker or a marker.
Contact Position
A contact position is a point at which checkers are still engaged and still may hit or block each other.
Control a Point
To control a point is to have at least two checkers on a point so your opponent cannot land on it.
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.
Direct Hit
A direct hit is a hit using the number on one of the dice.
Doubles
When the dice both show the same number, it is treated as four dice with that number.
Doubling Cube
A cube with one of the following numbers on each of its six sides: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64.
The doubling cube is used for one player to offer the other the option of doubling
the stakes of the game.
Enter
Entering refers to coming into the opponent's home board from the bar.
Game Plan
There are three main game plans (strategies): run, block, and attack.
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.
Hit
To hit is to bump or knock off an opponent's blot by landing on it.
Holding Game
A holding game is a game played using a defensive, or blocking, strategy.
Home Board
The inner or home board is the section of the board from which the checkers are removed from the game.
Own the Cube
The last player to accept the offer of doubling the stakes owns, or has control of, the cube.
Pass
To pass is to turn down the offer to double the stakes and forfeit the game, also referred to as folding.
Pip
The number on the die / the number of spaces the checker moves.
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.
Point on a Blot / Point on a Head
When you hit a blot with two checkers and make a point.
Points
The 24 triangles on the board are called points. The term point can also refer to the score
for winning one game.
Position
Position refers to the layout of the checkers on the backgammon board.
Preclear
To vacate a high point in your home board before all your men are in your home board,
in preparation for bearing off.
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.
Pure Race
When all of the checkers are heading for home with no opponent checkers on the way and the
players' goal is to move forward as quickly as possible, the game is referred to as a pure race.
Resign
To resign is to forfeit the game.
Running Strategy
A running strategy employs as little interaction with the opponent as possible.
Slot
To slot is to leave an unprotected checker (a blot) on a point.
Split
To split is to separate two checkers that had been on one point.
Take
To take is to accept an offer to double the stakes and get possession of the doubling cube.
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