Q: I was recently approached by a player who asked my opinion about the position below. He is Black and has to play 62. The position of the remaining White checkers isn't relevant but they were in a favourable position.

Black to play 62

He asked, "Am I allowed to play the 6 off and not play the 2?"

A: The answer is, no! In backgammon you have to always move the entire roll if possible; therefore in this position he has to play 4/2, 6/0 leaving a blot on the 2-point - something he was anxious to avoid!

This question reminded me of an incident at the Mind Sports Olympiad 1999. A player came up to me and asked if he had to make all his move or just the part he could take? I asked to look at the board and asked him to explain his question in more depth. This was the position:

Black to play 61

He played 7/6 with the 1 and then picked up his dice claiming, “No sixes!” Great stuff if you can get away with it! I pointed out to him that in backgammon, if at all possible, you had to make a full, legal move; which in this case meant 7/1, 8/7 leaving the dreadful multiple hit.

I also explained that in a position where you are able to move either die but not both, the higher die must be moved. Look at the position here:

White to play 63

White was bearing off quite nicely when he got hit, he entered, and later he rolled another 1 and left these three, nightmare blots in his home table.

Now, White can’t play all the move, he can move a 3 or he can move a 6; but not both. Ideally he’d play the 3, not wanting Black to have shots at his home table blots hoping that Black misses him on the next roll (6s and 3s) thus leaving White great racing chances to win the point. Alas, the 6 has to be played, not the 3.

Remember, if at all possible the full roll must be played; and when either die can be moved but not both the higher one must be moved.

- Michael Crane