The Opening Move, How Important Is It in Backgammon?

There's nothing like starting fresh, or starting over - to see that board laid out perfectly in the ready-to-begin state, all the pieces or checkers resting on their proper positions, the dice or die waiting to be picked up and rolled to begin play.

We backgammon players are, literally, ready to roll. The anticipation is there, our eyes a bit wider. So with all this anticipation, even mental preparation, just how important is that first roll and maneuver? Classic players or romantics may tell you that it is EXTREMELY important, that it can set the pace and probability of success for you if played well, or it will put you in the water without a life jacket to sink and eventually lose if played poorly. Others will debate the issue, pointing out that you can easily overcome an opening mistake by rebounding with better strategy as play progresses, or, not uncommon in our sport, by the luck of a good roll.

But if you inject some thinking or logic into the debate, as Mr. Spock might have you do, inevitably you must come to the conclusion that knowing the odds and possible 15 opening moves gives you a better chance at choosing wisely on that first move – putting you in, at the very least, a stable position.