Backgammon Dictionary

Taking one or more checkers deep into your home board early in the game out of undue concern for short-term safety.

A dice roll made by a player before the opponent has ended his turn by picking up the dice. Under U.S. rules, the premature roll is invalid and must be rethrown. Under BIBA rules, the premature roll stands but the player who did not pick up the dice may change his play in light of the new information.

To advance a runner so it directly bears on an opponent's blot, forcing the opponent to cover the blot, move it, or risk it being hit.

Six consecutive made points. An opposing checker trapped behind a prime cannot escape until the prime is broken.

Several consecutive made points, such as a 4-prime or 5-prime.

Trapped behind a prime.

A player who accepts a double when he has one or more checkers trapped behind an opponent's prime.

A game in which both players have primes with opposing checkers trapped behind them. The winner of these games is often the player with better timing.

A type of game in which the primary strategy is to trap one or more opponent's checkers behind your prime.

A consolation tournament for losers in the first several rounds of the main tournament. Progressive means that losers in later rounds of the main event get one or more byes to later rounds of the consolation event.  Compare: Nonprogressive Consolation.

Proposition.

A prearranged position played several times, usually for money, as a means of settling a dispute over which checker play (1) or cube action is best.  See: Take/Drop Proposition.

See Cube Proxy.

The German name for backgammon (1).

A German backgammon variant in which players enter in the same quadrant and move around the board in the same direction.

["Pure" because it focuses on one game plan.]  Playing with the goal of making a prime. Pure play includes bringing builders into play quickly, slotting to make key points, keeping your checkers in front of the opponent's checkers, and recirculating checkers as necessary. See post by Daniel Murphy and this thread.

A game in which the opposing forces have disengaged so there is no opportunity for further blocking or hitting by either side. In a pure race, your goal is simply to get your checkers home as quickly as possible and bear them off.  Compare: Contact Position.

Double ducks.

One quarter of the playing area on a backgammon board. The first quadrant comprises a player's points 1 to 6, the second quadrant points 7 to 12, the third quadrant points 13 to 18, and the fourth quadrant points 19 to 24.

The roll of 4-4 on the dice (double 4's).

A quarter entry is a single elimination tournament for four players, which is held before the beginning of a greater tournament. Each of the four contestants pays an entry fee of (usually slightly more than) a quarter of the entry fee of the main event. The winner of this four person tournament is entitled to play in the main event.

A technique used to reduce the element of luck in a rollout by ensuring the numbers rolled in the first few rolls of each trial are as evenly distributed as possible. For example, if you roll out a position 36 times, quasi-random dice will ensure that each trial begins with a different roll.