Comments on: Backgammon Question

By: Pete Ashton

Pete Ashton — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:14:58 +0000

@dan: Yes.

By: dan

dan — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:09:41 +0000

while playing standard backgammon, if I role a 4 and 3, can I move 1 token 4 spaces(land on my opponent knocking him out) and continue the same token 3 more spaces?

By: sue

sue — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:32:28 +0000

You have to take the three out. No choice, lah! That’s the rules we’ve always played by. Potentially keeps the game running a bit longer and adds to the fun. It seems to me this is a great game which relies on skill but also sometimes makes us the victim of fate. Just like life, really.

By: Michael Strato

Michael Strato — Sat, 10 May 2008 14:56:28 +0000

Hi Pete,

It is perfectly legal in standard backgammon to move the checker in your home board. In this position, since your opponent has two checkers on the bar, if you take off a 3 from the 3 point, you will have two lone checkers (called blots) that can be hit and sent back, and you could lose the game.

There are about 50 different games you can play on a backgammon board, the rules in a few of them (i.e. Acey-Deucey) do actually say you may only remove checkers on points according to the exact numbers rolled on the dice, but not in standard backgammon.

I hope this helps.

Michael Strato
Editor – http://www.GammonLife.com

By: nikki

nikki — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:09:30 +0000

I’m with Dubber and the computer.

By: Dubber

Dubber — Sat, 10 May 2008 11:52:36 +0000

I’m no expert, but my understanding was that the computer has it right. Casting out is generally desirable, but not compulsory.

I often move so that a lower dice roll will guarantee a cast out, even when all my pieces are already home.

If I’ve been making illegal moves, that’s the first I’ve heard of it.