“S” Backgammon Terms

Free from danger of being hit.

See: Magriel's Safe-Bold Criteria.

A play that leaves no blots, or a play that leaves blots only in positions where the opponent is unlikely to hit.  Compare: Bold Play.

Move a checker out of danger of being hit.

Cover a blot or move it out of range of being hit.

To conceal or misrepresent your true ability.

To enter a tournament division below your skill level.

To leave a position in which a particular number will play comfortably next turn so you will not be forced you to destroy your position if you roll that number. Typically, you save a number to avoid having to leave a shot or break a valuable point.  Compare: Kill a Number.

To escape all of your checkers from the opponent's home board before he is able to bear off all of his own checkers, and thereby avoid losing a backgammon (2).

To bear off one of your own checkers before the opponent has borne off all of his, and thereby avoid losing a gammon.

Cover a blot.

See: Random Seed.

A competitor in a tournament whose position in the draw is predetermined to ensure that he will not meet other seeded players in the early rounds of an elimination event. See this thread.

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.)