One of the keys to mastering Backgammon lies in understanding how to read and use backgammon notation. Backgammon notation provides detailed information about every move made during a game, making it easy for players of any skill level to track progress and analyze moves later.
In this article, we’ll explain what backgammon notation is, how it works, and why it’s essential for mastering the game of backgammon. So if you’re ready to take your game up a notch, let’s get started!
Introduction
Paul Magriel wrote a well-known book on backgammon in 1976, which included a new notation system that was user-friendly and straightforward to learn.
The notation system proved to be very successful, and within a short period, it became the globally recognized standard notation system for backgammon. Since then, nearly every book or article written about backgammon has used the Magriel notation system.
Match points
The first thing that will be written at the top of the Backgammon notation is the winning target. the format will be: “X point match” when X represents the number of points you need to achieve in order to win the game, for example, 15 point match.
Game data
Backgammon notation holds all the games inside a match, so the notation has a description for every game for himself.
Every game in the notation holds the current score until this game, the players’ names, and the colors.
Point’s numbers
The next thing there in the notation is the moves of the game – what the dice were and what piece moved to which point. To understand this you first need to understand the number of the points. Each point is represented by a number, the following image will clarify:
This point’s numbers are from the white piece’s perspective. The black pieces got the same numbers from their perspective.
Every move is represented by the dice, the starting point, and the finishing point. The format looks like this: <dice>: <starting point>/<end point> <starting point>/<end point>.
For example 3-1: 8/5 6/5. This means the dice were 3-1, and the first move was to move a piece from point 8 to point 5, and from point 6 to point 5. So now the board looks like this:
Now it’s the black pieces’ turn to play. the play was 4-2: 8/4 6/4. Try to guess what the board will look like before seeing the results, remember the black pieces have the same number representation as the white pieces. This is the board after the move:
Notice the number must be reduced, otherwise, it is an illegal move. For example
4-2: 4/8 6/4, a piece can’t be moved from point 4 to point 8.
Doubles
Doubles have the same format but in addition, because the same move can happen a few times, the number of pieces that got moved in the same way will be written in brackets. For example,
for example, 2-2: 13/11 11/9 24/22(2). So 2 pieces were moved from point 24 to point 22.
Hitting
Hitting is also part of the notation of course. The mark for hitting is “*“. It looks like this:
4-3: 11/7* 18/15. This means a piece moved from point 11 and hit the opponent’s piece at point 7. After this, a piece moved from point 18 to point 15. Hit and move (hit and then moved with the hitting piece) can be written in the following way, 5-3: 13/8*/5.
Doubling cube
When a player decides to double, it will be written “Doubles to X“, X represents the suggested new number of the doubling cube. For example, “doubles to 4”. If the opponent agrees to the double request, “Take” will be written, if the opponent refuses, “Pass” will be written, if
Entering from the bar
Pieces found on the bar have no point number, so the word “Bar” will be used. For example,
6-1: bar/24 24/18. This means a piece from the bar re-entered point 24 and then moved from point 24 to point 18. Notice that moves from the bar always must be to points 19-24 ( the opponent’s home).
Can’t move
When you can’t move, the expression “(no-play)” will be used. For example, 3-2: (no-play).
If you can make only one move the format be regular, for example, 6-2: 24/18. This means the 6 was used for moving from point 24 to point 18 and the 2 can’t be played.
Bear-off
The word for bearing off is “Off“. For example, 3-1: 3/off 1/off. Notice that bearing off must be from points 1-6.
Backgammon notation example
Game 2
joe joe(JPN) : 0 John Doe(ITA) : 2
1) 3-1: 6/5 8/5 4-3: 13/10 13/9
2) 3-2: 13/11 13/10 5-4: 9/5 10/5
3) 5-4: 13/9 10/5 5-5: 13/8 8/3(3)
4) 5-5: 13/8(2) 8/3(2) 5-1: 13/8 6/5
5) 6-4: 6/2 8/2 2-2: 13/11 11/9 6/4(2)
6) 6-6: 24/18(2) 11/5 9/3 6-2: 3/1 9/3
7) Doubles to 2 Pass
Wins 1 point
Backgammon notation may seem complex at first, but with practice, it will become second nature. With this guide, you now have the tools to understand backgammon notation. Reading top-ranking players’ Backgammon notations can improve your game, so try this, good luck!
