Backgammon Dictionary

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.)

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.