Backgammon Dictionary

The raised ridge down the center of a backgammon board dividing the home board from the outer board. Checkers are placed on the bar after they have been hit.

[Named after backgammon expert Rick Barabino.]  A roll of 5-4 from the bar used to make an anchor on the opponent's five-point.

A player's seven-point, so named because it is physically adjacent to the bar.

A position in which both players have checkers trapped behind an opponent's prime.   See: Prime-vs-Prime.

To move a checker into your home board prior to bearing off.

To remove a checker from the board according to a roll of the dice after all of your checkers have been brought into your home board.

The last stage of the game during which checkers are borne off.

A computer-generated table associating each possible bearoff position with a value that represents the quality of that position. The associated value is either the equity of the position (in a two-sided database) or a distribution of the expected number of rolls to bear off (in a one-sided database).

To be within six points (1) of, and therefore reachable with a single number of the dice. For example, a checker on the 13-point bears on points 12 through 7.

An immediate redouble by a player who just accepted a double. A player who beavers turns the cube up one level and retains possession of the cube.  See: Beavers.

A rule often used in money play (but never in match play) which says: A player who accepts a double may immediately redouble (beaver) without giving up possession of the cube. The opponent (the player who originally doubled) may refuse the beaver, in which case he resigns the game and loses the current (doubled) stakes. Otherwise, he must accept the beaver and continue the game at quadruple the stakes prior to the double. See post by Sander van Rijnswou.

Having a higher pip count than your opponent; see count (2).

Having a higher pip count than your opponent.

To mistakenly play the roll of 6-5 from the opponent's one-point to your mid-point without seeing that the opponent has made his bar-point and blocks your way.

British Isles Backgammon Association.  Website: BIBA.

A bold or aggressive play when a safer but less constructive play is available.

Beaver.

An all-out attack on enemy blots in your home board aimed at closing out your opponent.

A quick elimination tournament consisting of short matches.

[Noun.]  A point (1) occupied by two or more checkers held for the purpose of hindering the opponent's progress.

[Verb.]  To prevent forward movement of the opponent's checkers by making points in front of them.

A series of blocks arranged to prevent escape of the opponent's runners. The ideal blockade is a prime.