“P” Backgammon Terms

One of the spots on a die that indicate numeric value.

A unit of distance on a backgammon board corresponding to the difference in point (1) numbers. For example, the 13-point and the seven-point are six pips apart.

The total number of points (or pips (2)) that a player must move his checkers to bring them home and bear them off. For example, at the start of a game each player has a pip count of 167:  48 pips for 2 checkers on the 24-point, plus 65 pips for 5 checkers on the 13-point, plus 24 pips for 3 checkers on the eight-point, plus 30 pips for 5 checkers on the six-point.

A Greek game in which players pin blots rather than hit them.  See: How to Play Plakoto.

The collection of moves a player makes in satisfying the requirements of a roll.

A fictitious rule invoked by James Bond in the movie Octopussy. Bond is playing backgammon with the villain, Kamal Khan. Khan is winning by using loaded dice that roll 6-6 when he switches them into the game. On the last roll Bond needs a 6-6 to win, so he calls out "player's privilege," which is apparently a rule allowing one player to exchange his dice for his opponent's. The loaded dice are still in Khan's cup, but he can't complain without revealing himself, so Bond takes the cup, rolls 6-6, and wins.

To avoid leaving blots which might be hit.  See: Safe Play.

Backgammon server.

One turn by one player, a measure of how far a player (or computer program) looks ahead when selecting a play or evaluating a position. See post by JP White.  Note: There is no agreement in the backgammon community as to whether plies are counted starting at 0 (as GNU Backgammon does it) or starting at 1 (as Snowie does it). See this thread and this thread concerning the controversy.

Point on head.

One of the twenty-four narrow triangles, twelve on each side, of a backgammon board, where the players' checkers sit. The points are numbered for each player 1 to 12 across the near side of the board and 13 to 24 in the other direction across the far side of the board. Either player's one-point is the other player's 24-point.

Two or more checkers on the same triangle; a made point.

To hit a blot and make the point in the same turn with the same roll; to point on a blot.

A unit of scoring. Each game is worth 1, 2, or 3 points (for a single game, a gammon, or a backgammon (2)) multiplied by the value of the doubling cube. In money play, you play for a certain value per point. In match play, each match is played to a predetermined number of total points.

An old method of scoring in backgammon (1) that is no longer used. The winner of the game gets 1 point for each checker in the loser's home board, 2 points for each checker in the loser's outer board, 3 points for each checker in the winner's outer table, and 4 points for each checker on the bar or in the winner's home table.  See: 1931 Rules of Backgammon.

To hit an opposing blot with two of your checkers at the same time, thereby also making the point. Pointing on a blot in your home board is usually a very strong play.

Point on a blot.

A measure of playing performance equal to the total number of points (4) won (or lost) divided by the number of games played.

A backgammon variant in which you always play the lower number of a roll first.  See: How to Play Poof.

A Greek game similar to Western backgammon (1).  See: How to Play Portes.

The arrangement of checkers on a backgammon board.

A play that emphasizes fighting for and keeping key points over running or blitzing (1); a structural play.

A checker-play decision where strategy considerations dominate. See post by Adam Stocks.  Compare: Technical Play.

A card with a preprinted diagram of a backgammon board designed for recording a position.

The player who last accepted a double is said to own the cube. Only that player may make the next double of the game. Prior to the first double, neither player owns the cube (see centered cube) and either player may double.