We are in the very early part of the game and neither player has much structure. White has, however, made his 4-point.

White – Pips 155 (-5)

Black – Pips 160 (+5)
Black to Play 4-2

Problem 1.

White – Pips 156 (-6)

Black – Pips 162 (+6)
Black to Play 6-4

White – Pips 136 (-14)

Black – Pips 150 (+14)
Black to Play 6-4

Here are two early game positions where Black doesn’t have much and White has an inner point and some pressure.

Problem 1:

White – Pips 152 (-8)

Black – Pips 160 (+8)
Black to Play 3-1

White – Pips 150 (-10)

Black – Pips 160 (+10)
Black to Play 4-2

While many plays in backgammon are virtually forced, other situations may leave you with five or more reasonable alternatives. This is especially true of doubles, where the number of possibilities may be even higher.

In such situations, you need a systematic approach to finding the best play. Most players react haphazardly in these situations. They look for a good play, think about it for a few moments, and only look for a second or third play if the first play doesn’t look appealing. If the second play doesn’t look good after a moment or two, they may bounce back to their first play, or cast around for another. The result is a chaotic decision process that may well overlook the best play.

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