The Opening Backgammon Game Roll - Who Goes First and How?

All is fair in love and war, you might have heard. It helps to be fair in games, too, including backgammon. There is a clear statement of this from the earliest possible moment of a backgammon game – the roll of the dice to decide who will move first, even before you begin playing. However, if you want to be a more accurate romantic or purity-by-the-rules player, make sure you follow the traditional rite of "Who Goes First" with this protocol:

Each player takes one of the dice (a die) and rolls it to their side (your right-hand side) of the board. Whichever player has the larger number roll is now the one who has the honor of starting the game with his or her official first move. Of course in case of a tie, you repeat the procedure until one player triumphs.

It's at this point, however, that beginner level players or rookies make the mistake of picking up the dice and rolling both for their first move.

Not so fast! The correct protocol is to use that "who rolls first" cast by both players AS the opening roll. In other words, the player who won the determining roll must use the combination his/her die and the die cast by his/her opponent. For example, let's say you cast your (one) die to your side of the board and roll a "5" and your opponent casts his die to his side and roll a "3." You win the honor of the first move of the game and must use the 5 and 3 in your first move (you do not pick up the die and roll again for your first move).