“S” Backgammon Terms

A checker which may or may not be available to make another point, depending on the roll.

One of the four players competing in the semifinals of an elimination tournament.

The second-last round of an elimination tournament; the one that determines the two players who advance to the finals.

A decision to end a game early with the payment of points by one player to the other based on the agreed fair value of the position (see Equity). Settlements are generally not allowed in tournament play.

A method of reducing the variance of a cubeful rollout. Any trial in which the equity of a player exceeds a given value (the settlement limit) is terminated at that point and scored as double/drop. See posts by Michael J. Zehr and Kit Woolsey.

See: Starting Position.

To mix the dice using a dice cup prior to rolling.

A good player who seeks out weaker players and persuades them to play for high stakes. (Sharks eat fish.)

A Turkish game similar to Western backgammon (1).  See: How to Play Shesh Besh.

Change game plan.

To give up one point in order to make an adjacent point.

An opportunity to hit an opposing blot. A direct shot is an opportunity to hit using a single number. An indirect shot is an opportunity to hit using both numbers of the dice played with the same checker.

A particular roll of the dice which could hit an enemy blot. When counting shots, you count each doubles roll once and each mixed roll twice to get a total out of 36.

Close out.

A separate tournament prize fund made up of additional optional entry fees which goes to the highest finishing player(s) of those who entered the side pool. The side pool allows a tournament to keep the regular entry fee low while providing players willing to pay a higher entry fee a chance to win more. See post by Daniel Murphy.

Prime (1).

[By analogy to the golden point.]  A term sometimes used for the opponent's four-point, the second best point on which to anchor.

A blot within range of being hit with a single number but for which there are no ways to hit using a combination of numbers on both dice.

Rollout.

A tournament format in which a competitor continues playing until he loses.  See: Elimination Format.  Compare: Double Elimination.

A completed game which is not a gammon or a backgammon (2); a game in which the losing player has borne off at least one checker. The winner of a single game receives the value of the doubling cube only and no bonus.