Backgammon 3-1 opening: the best move
Rolled 3-1 on the opening roll? This is the best move according to the strongest analysis programs in the world:
8/5 6/5
The best opening roll there is: make your 5 point (8/5 6/5), the most important point in your home. It blocks your opponent and is very hard to get around.
All the good moves, best first
| Move | Chance to win | Gammon wins | Behind the best |
|---|---|---|---|
8/5 6/5 | 55.3% | 16.3% | — |
24/23 13/10 | 49.6% | 13.6% | −0.240 |
13/10 6/5 | 49.6% | 13.6% | −0.261 |
13/9 | 49.1% | 13.8% | −0.265 |
GNU Backgammon ranks this move first too.
The numbers: eXtreme Gammon (XG) rollouts, money play with the doubling cube. "Behind the best" is how much a move loses compared with the best one, in fractions of a point; less than 0.02 is barely noticeable.
Practice
The best way to learn openings is in a real game: against the computer you get a hint every turn, and an analysis of every move at the end.