Backgammon Glossary
A comprehensive guide to the terminology of this classic game.
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Dance
A dice roll that fails to re-enter a man off the bar after having been hit.
Dead Cube
A cube that is of no re-doubling value. i.e. The value when used would exceed the number of points an opponent would need to win the game.
Dead Man
A man deep in a player's home board; usually on the one- and two- points.
Dead Number
A die roll that cannot be played legally.
Deep
(see Dead Man)
Dice
(Plural) Small cubes marked with dots 1 to 6 on each face, used to determine moves around the board.
Dice Combination
The number of possible rolls (36) using two dice.
Dice Cup
A cup used to shake and roll the dice.
Die
Singular (see Dice)
Dilly Builder
A builder that only lands on a point deep in your home board.
Disengage
(see Break Contact)
Diversification
Spreading out the men in such a way as to increase the number of good rolls on a subsequent turn.
DMP
(see Double Match Point)
Dominate
To be at least as good as in all respects. One play is said to dominate another (similar) play if it is as good as the other play by any measure of comparison. Spotting dominated plays can reduce the total number of plays to choose among in a given position.
Double
An offer to play for twice the original stake. Players may only double when it is their turn to throw and must do so before throwing, but not after rolling cocked dice. To offer a double or re-double move the cube towards the opponent at the higher level saying clearly, “double” or similar. To take, draw the cube towards oneself and says, “take” or similar, placing the cube on your side of the board. Both players should ensure that the correct level is displayed. To reject the cube one says, “pass” or “drop” and the game concludes. Care should be exercised when handling the cube as either verbal or physical acts might be interpreted as cube actions by an opponent. After the first double of a game, only the player who owns the cube may re-double.
Double Ducks
The roll of 22.
Double Game
(see Gammon)
Double Hit
To hit two opponent's men in a single move.
Double Jeopardy
Potential for awkward rolls both next turn and the turn after.
Double Match Point
A match in which both players need just one more point to win. Or a game in which the doubling cube has reached a level high enough that if either player wins the game they also win the match.
Double Oneself Out
To offer a double which, if accepted, will win the match for the doubler if he wins the game.
Double Roll
(see Roll a Double)
Double Shot
A blot exposed to hits from two of an opponent's men.
Doubles
Dice rolls with the same value, e.g. 66, 44 etc.
Doubling Cube
A cubical block with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 marked on its faces, used for keeping track of the increase in stakes of a game and the player who has the right to make the next double.
Doubling Window
From Cubes and Gammons near the End of the Match by Antonio Ortega and Danny Kleinman: "The range of winning percentages that may justify giving your opponent a cube that he should certainly take. The top of your doubling window is your cashpoint--the complement of your opponent's takepoint. The bottom of your doubling window is the minimum game-winning chance at which you are better off doubling your opponent in, than ending the game with the cube at 1. Clearly, you should double at your very last turn of the game if you have reached the bottom of your doubling window."
Drop
Refuse to accept a double/re-double.
Drop Point
The maximum equity at which it is correct for a player to refuse a double.
Dropper
A player on a backgammon server who avoids a loss by intentionally leaving a match before it is finished.
Drop-Take
Used in chouette, whereby some players in the team will drop the double offered and others will take.
Duplication
A position in which two or more of the opponent's good moves both use the same number. For example, when the opponent needs the same number to hit either of two blots, that number is said to be duplicated. All else being equal, a position which duplicates the opponent's good numbers is better than one which does not because it means the opponent has fewer good rolls in total.
- Michael Crane
