Backgammon layout: starting off on the right foot

admin · Site Admin Joined: 15 May 2007 Posts: 862

The backgammon layout or starting position is the way the backgammon rules state that the checkers should be set out at the start of the game. To understand the backgammon layout you need to know the appearance of the backgammon board or perhaps have a board in front of you or at least a picture of one.
The backgammon board is divided into twenty-four, alternately colored narrow triangular sections. Each of these sections is called a point. The points are further divided into six groups of points or quadrants. Down the center of the board runs a slightly raised, flat area called the bar. The bar serves to divide the board into home and outer sections for each player.

The standard backgammon layout has each players fifteen checkers positioned according to the following formula: Each player has two of their checkers placed on their opponent’s first point, five checkers positioned on the central point, three checkers on the eight point and the remaining five checkers are placed on the sixth point.

With the spread of online backgammon the need to memorize the backgammon layout has diminished since the Internet application automatically sets out all the counters in the opening position at the start to the game. However, the starting position still remains significance since this is the playing arrangement at the start of each game, and it is good advice for the player to think out in advance the best opening moves from this opening checker arrangement. For example, you might hope to have the chance of making your first move to occupy the fourth point in your home board since this is a valuable point to hold when building a prime or blockade.