Long backgammon strategy for beginners: 8 tips

Updated: October 16, 2026

Long backgammon looks like a game of luck, yet an experienced player beats a beginner in most games. The dice decide a single roll; decisions decide the game. Here are eight tips to start with.

1. Leave the head steadily

Only one checker can leave the head per turn. If you put it off, half your checkers will still be at the start in mid-game and you will run out of useful moves. Try to bring one checker off the head every turn until it is empty.

2. Take points, don't stack checkers

Every point you hold is a square your opponent cannot use. Five checkers on one point block no more than one. Spread your checkers to hold as many useful points as possible.

3. Build primes in your opponent's way

Several occupied points in a row form a prime. A prime of three to five points is hard to get past — the opponent needs exact rolls. The most useful primes sit where the opponent has to pass: in front of the exit from their first quarter and on the way into their home. Remember that six in a row with no opponent checker ahead is not allowed.

4. Stay flexible

A good position is one where almost any roll can be played comfortably. If all your checkers are bunched together, a bad roll will force you to break your own position. Keep checkers at different distances from each other.

5. Count the race

Add up how many points all your checkers still have to travel to bear off, and do the same for your opponent. If you are clearly ahead, simplify and run home. If you are behind, hold your primes and wait for the opponent to get stuck.

6. Don't leave stragglers

One or two checkers stuck far behind are the most common cause of a mars. Bring your last checkers forward in time, while the road is still open.

7. Use doubles wisely

A double is four moves at once — perfect for building a prime or jumping ahead in the race. Before moving, look at which points this double lets you take.

8. Review your games

After each game NardPlay shows the accuracy of your moves and the number of blunders, as judged by its neural network. If your accuracy is below 80%, think about where you lost time or broke your position. Practise against the bot and compare your accuracy from game to game.

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