Backgammon Dictionary

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.

Traditional name for the four-point.

An unassuming play that does not hit, or slot, or pose an immediate threat; it just maintains the status quo.

A feature of a problem that makes it interesting enough to appear on a quiz. The mere appearance on a quiz suggests that the "obvious" play may not be the correct play.

An immediate redouble by the player who just accepted a beaver.

Pure race.

The relative standing of the players' pip counts. The player with the lower pip count is said to be ahead in the race.

Winning chances that accrue from variations where there is no further hitting.

Bar.

To pile all your checkers on a few points (1); also called candlesticks.