Pip Counting Made Easy

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

When I first started playing backgammon, the thing I had the biggest problem with was pip counting. I was overwhelmed with the idea of counting the total number of pips that I needed to finish the game and then to figure out my opponent's pip count in order to compare. It was only once I realized that there were several shortcuts that I stopped being overwhelmed and began to use pip count to help me determine my strategy. I thought that I would share some of the tips I've learned and possibly ease some of your stress as well!

My favorite trick is the 25 rule. Any time you have a checker directly across from another checkers (such as one on your five point and another on your opponents five point) the total pip count will be 25. There are no exceptions to this. If you count these reflected checkers first then you can usually get a pretty good idea of your pip count.

Next, count up all of your blocks. For instance, a block of 10 checkers will always equal thirty pips if it starts from the one point, a block of eight checkers will always equal twenty pips if it starts from the one point. If the block is moved up to a different point then you just have to add the total number of checkers once more for each empty point in front. If a ten checker (five point) blockade is starting from the two-point then you will add an additional ten to the pip count, for forty instead of thirty.

Use these tips and pip counting will be a cinch!