Safe Play in Backgammon: Blots, Shots and Risk

Every blot you leave is a chance for White. Counting those chances, the shots, tells you which play is safe.

Step 1 of 3

Direct and indirect shots
A blot within six points in front of a White checker can be hit with a single die: a direct shot. Farther away, White needs both dice together, an indirect shot, and far fewer rolls do it. White's other checkers are already past your blots here, so only its back checkers on your 1-point can hit them.

Your blot on the 7-point is six points from them. Any 6 hits it, and so do 5-1 and 4-2: 15 rolls out of 36. Your blot on the 9-point is eight away, and only 6-2 reaches it: 2 rolls out of 36. Your points on 4, 5 and 6 block the other ways there.

On an open board, with nothing in the way, a blot six points away is hit by 17 rolls and a blot eight away by 6.
Leave no shot
You lead the race by a long way, and White's back checkers on your 1-point are waiting for a shot. A hit now could turn the game around. When a play leaves no blot and costs you nothing, play safe.
Your move
Play 6-5 without leaving White a shot.
The safest 6-2
Now you roll 6-2. This time every play leaves a blot somewhere, so count the shots.

Which play leaves White the fewest shots?
Question

What you learned

A blot within six points in front of a White checker faces a direct shot. Farther away it faces an indirect shot, which far fewer rolls hit.
Your own points can block the rolls that would hit a blot.
When a play leaves no shot and gives up nothing, play safe.
If every play leaves a blot, count the shots: fewer is usually better.

Unit 1The rules

Unit 2First strategy

Take it to the table.

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