Automatic double an option where the cube is doubled automatically if both players roll the same die on the opening roll of the game.
Back Game a strategy used when a player finds himself significantly behind in the game.
Backgammon in addition to the name of the game, it is also the result of a game in which one player removes all of his pieces before the other player has removed any pieces and has a piece in the opponents inner board or on the Bar. This results in a triple game (worth 3 times as much.)
Back Men/Pieces the two pieces that are farthest out at the start of the game (opponent's 1 point). Also called Runners.
Bar the center divider separating the inner and outer boards. Hit pieces (blots) are placed on the bar until the piece is re-entered.
Bar Point the 7 point. A strategic blocking point.
Bearing off the process of removing men from the board.
Beaver an optional rule where the doubled player can re-double the cube after being doubled. The double must be made before the other player rolls the dice. When playing against the computer you have 3 seconds to re-double.
Block a series of contiguous points that block your opponent from advancing his back men
Blocking Game a strategy where the goal is to block your opponent's back men in your home board. The best overall game strategy.
Blot a single piece on a point. A blot can be hit by an opposing piece and placed on the Bar.
Builder a piece that can be used later to make important points later in your inner board or as part of a Block.
Combination Shot An opponent's blot that is more than six rows away from one of your pieces, and that therefore requires a roll combining numbers on both dice in order to be hit by that piece.
Come in or Come on See Re-entering.
Contact Positions on the board in which all of each player's pieces have not yet gotten past all of his opponent's pieces; it is therefore still possible for one or both players to leave a blot.
Count the position See Pip count
Cover a blot Move a second piece to a point/row holding one of your blots. You thus make the point, preventing your blot from being hit.
Crawford Rule Used in tounament play. This rule forbids a doubling of the cube for one game after an opponent wins a game that puts him within 1 point of winning the tournament.
Cube the doubling cube. The cube is die shaped with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 printed on the 6 sides. The cube allows the stakes to be doubled during game play by the player that "owns" the cube. The cube starts in the middle of the board with the side with 64 facing up, being "owned" by neither player. When either player wishes to double the stakes of the game during game play, he places the side up that doubles the bet and places it on the opponent's side of the board. If the double is accepted by the other player, then the stakes have been doubled with the other player "owning" the cube, being the only one that can next redouble. If he declines, then the game ends immediately with the value of the cube being what it was before the double.
Direct Shot An blot that is within 6 pips of an opposing piece. This blot can be hit by a number on a single die greatly increasing the chance that it will be hit.
Double See Cube.
Double Game See Gammon
Doubling Cube See Cube.
Early game The first stages of play.
End game The last stages of play.
Enter See Re-enter
Exposed Piece See blot.
Gammon A game in which one player removes all of his pieces before the opponent has removed any pieces from the board. This results in a double game (worth twice as much).
Hit A move that lands on an opponent's exposed piece (blot), thus placing that piece on the bar.
Home Board your inner board
Indirect Shot An exposed piece (blot) that can be hit only by using both of the dice. By definition it is 7 or more pips away from the opponent's piece.
Inner Board the quarter of the board where you must move all of your pieces before bearing off.
Jacoby Rule A double or triple game is not allowed unless the cube was passed at least once during the game.
Lead The difference between the pip count of the two players.
Off the Board Said of those pieces already removed from the board during the bearing off process. Once a piece is off the board it is placed in the tray and stays off for the remainder of the game.
On the Bar See Bar.
Outer Board the quarter of the board adjacent to the Inner Board.
Pips The dots that appear on the face of the die. The number of dots determines the value of the die.
Pip Count The minimum number of pips required to move all of a player's pieces off the board (assuming no blots are hit.) Can be displayed by pressing on the P key or by clicking when the cursor becomes a P when moved over the bottom of the board frame (on the right side).
Points Rows occupied by two or more pieces. A point controls that particular row, preventing an opponent from touching down on it with one of his pieces.
Also, the designation of a location on the board; e.g., the 5-point.
Prime Six consecutive points you have made.
Race See Running Game.
Re-enter The process required to bring a hit man from the bar to a point in the opponent's home board. To re-enter, a player must throw a number on one of the dice that is the same as the a row that is not controlled by your opponent. All pieces on the bar must be re-entered before any other move can be made. If a player fails to throw a number that will allow a piece to re-enter, the turn is lost and the player must try again on his next turn.
Remaining Rolls the approximate number of rolls required to bear off all of their pieces.
During the later stages of a running game this gives a more accurate assessment of the game than the Pip Count.
Note: this assumes that none of your blots will be hit before bearing off. Can be displayed by pressing on the R key or by clicking when the cursor becomes a R when moved over the bottom of the board frame (on the right side).
Roll-over An optional method of play whereby each side has one chance during the game to either re-roll the dice or demand that his opponent do so.
Re-roll first roll an optional method of play whereby the winner of the first roll is permitted to accept the roll as is or to re-roll his dice using the new roll (even if it is worse).
Runners The two pieces that are farthest out at the start of the game (opponent's 1 point). Also called Back Men.
Running Game a game strategy where the player tries to get his pieces into his inner board as fast as possible. Should only use when you have a significant lead in the pip count or you have completely passed each others pieces.
