Backgammon opening moves
The best first move for every opening roll, worked out by our engine. The value says how many points you expect to come out ahead per 100 games after that move; the gap says how much the second-best move gives up.
The short version: with 3-1 make your 5-point (8/5 6/5), with 4-2 your 4-point (8/4 6/4), with 6-1 your 7-point (13/7 8/7) and with 5-3 your 3-point (8/3 6/3). With 6-5, run a back checker all the way (24/13). Most other rolls split: one checker up from the back, one down from the mid-point.
All 15 opening rolls
| Roll | Best move | Value | Gap | Second best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24/23 13/11 | +4.6 | 2.8 close | 24/21 | |
| 8/5 6/5 | +21.3 | 17.8 | 24/23 13/10 | |
| 24/21 13/11 | +5.8 | 1.0 close | 13/11 13/10 | |
| 24/23 13/9 | +4.4 | 3.1 | 24/23 24/20 | |
| 8/4 6/4 | +15.0 | 8.4 | 24/22 13/9 | |
| 24/21 13/9 | +5.5 | 0.5 close | 13/10 13/9 | |
| 24/23 13/8 | +4.6 | 3.8 | 13/8 6/5 | |
| 24/22 13/8 | +5.6 | 0.9 close | 13/11 13/8 | |
| 8/3 6/3 | +10.5 | 4.3 | 24/21 13/8 | |
| 24/20 13/8 | +6.3 | 1.1 close | 13/9 13/8 | |
| 13/7 8/7 | +14.9 | 15.0 | 24/23 24/18 | |
| 24/18 13/11 | +5.1 | 1.6 close | 24/16 | |
| 24/18 13/10 | +4.2 | 0.7 close | 24/15 | |
| 24/14 | +5.1 | 0.1 close | 8/2 6/2 | |
| 24/13 | +12.7 | 7.5 | 24/18 13/8 |
How to read it. Moves use the usual notation: 13/7 moves a checker from your 13-point to your 7-point; (2) means twice. A gap under 3 points per 100 games is marked close: either move is fine, and strong players disagree. 6-4, for example, has three plays within a fraction of a point of each other.
How these numbers were made
Every legal move for each roll was scored by the wildbg engine at full 2-ply depth, without the doubling cube, from the starting position. The best plays for 3-1, 4-2, 5-3, 6-1, 6-2 and 6-3 match published rollout results. A rollout plays each position out thousands of times, so tiny gaps here can flip in a deeper study; the big decisions don't.
Turkish tavla: 21 opening rolls
In Turkish-style tavla the winner of the opening roll rolls both dice again, so the first move can be a double. That adds six rolls the backgammon chart never needs. Values here use tavla scoring (mars counts 2, no triple win).
| Roll | Best move | Value | Gap | Second best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/7(2) 6/5(2) | +28.7 | 1.5 close | 24/22 6/5(2) | |
| 24/23 13/11 | +4.6 | 2.7 close | 13/11 6/5 | |
| 13/11(2) 6/4(2) | +26.9 | 1.6 close | 24/22(2) 6/4(2) | |
| 8/5 6/5 | +21.0 | 17.5 | 24/23 13/10 | |
| 24/21 13/11 | +5.7 | 0.9 close | 13/11 13/10 | |
| 8/5(2) 6/3(2) | +31.0 | 4.3 | 24/21(2) 13/10(2) | |
| 24/23 13/9 | +4.3 | 3.1 | 24/23 24/20 | |
| 8/4 6/4 | +14.8 | 8.3 | 24/22 13/9 | |
| 24/21 13/9 | +5.4 | 0.4 close | 13/10 13/9 | |
| 24/20(2) 13/9(2) | +34.0 | 5.3 | 13/5(2) | |
| 24/23 13/8 | +4.5 | 3.6 | 13/8 6/5 | |
| 24/22 13/8 | +5.5 | 0.9 close | 13/11 13/8 | |
| 8/3 6/3 | +10.4 | 4.3 | 24/21 13/8 | |
| 24/20 13/8 | +6.2 | 1.0 close | 13/9 13/8 | |
| 13/3(2) | +18.0 | 11.9 | 13/3 8/3(2) | |
| 13/7 8/7 | +14.7 | 14.9 | 24/23 24/18 | |
| 24/18 13/11 | +5.0 | 1.6 close | 24/16 | |
| 24/18 13/10 | +4.1 | 0.7 close | 24/15 | |
| 24/14 | +5.0 | 0.1 close | 8/2 6/2 | |
| 24/13 | +12.6 | 7.4 | 24/18 13/8 | |
| 24/18(2) 13/7(2) | +41.9 | 13.6 | 24/18 13/7(3) |
Questions people ask
What is the best opening roll in backgammon?
3-1. It makes your 5-point straight away (8/5 6/5), and the engine rates it the highest-value opening roll.
Should I split or build with my opening move?
Both are fine for many rolls. The chart marks rolls where the top plays are within 3 points per 100 games as close.
Why can a tavla game open with a double?
Under Turkish rules, the player who wins the opening roll rolls both dice again instead of playing the opening dice.