
When it comes to learning anything new, there are nearly always a few new words associated with that game or hobby that people will throw around which will confuse the newbie to the game, and when it comes to Backgammon that is no exception, there are plenty of ‘Backgammon words’ that will stump new players to the game, so bonusbets.com is here to demystify the mystery surrounding some of these terms.
Blots – This is one of the most important terms to learn. A blot is a single checker on a point. This is important because your blots are open to attack by the opposing player. Any player landing on a point with your blot on it will ‘hit’ that blot and send it back to the bar.
Bar – This isn’t the place you go to get a nice drink to wash down your recent defeat at Backgammon but refers to the area in the centre of the board. Normally the fold that the board folds along if you board folds like a chess board. This centre line is where all of your checkers start, and it is a sort of starting line if you like. Once one of your checkers has been hit, then it is returned to the bar to start again.
Hit – This is a term to describe landing on an opposing players blot. If you can hit a blot, then it is sent back to the bar, thus making it much harder for your opponent to win. It is important to try and hit your opponent’s blots whenever you can, as long as this doesn’t leave you open to being hit back. Making a hit can be a very tactical move in Backgammon and should be considered carefully.
Make a Point / Build a Point – This is the process of you landing more than a single checker on a point on the board. This is strategically important because unlike a point with a blot, a point with two or more checkers on cannot be used by your opponent, you have effectively stopped them from being able to move to that point. It is also defensive in that your checkers on a built point are not open to being hit by your opponent and so it will keep them safe.
Prime – A prime is a row of anchors that you have made, that locks out your opponent from moving into the area. These are built side by side and will shut down your opponent from being able to use that area of the board. They are mainly constructed for the purpose of trapping or containing your opponent’s checkers, preventing them from moving.
Home Board / Outer Board – These refer to specific quadrants on the board. The Home Board is the final quadrant on the board. The area in which checkers must land before they are able to be cleared from the board. So there are two home boards, one for you and one for your opponent. Opposite to each of the home boards are the outer boards. Therefore there are two of each on a board.