Backgammon 5-2 opening: the best move
Rolled 5-2 on the opening roll? This is the best move according to the strongest analysis programs in the world:
24/22 13/8
Bring a checker down to the 8 point and split a back checker to the 22 point (24/22 13/8). A close alternative: two checkers down from the midpoint (13/11 13/8).
All the good moves, best first
| Move | Chance to win | Gammon wins | Behind the best |
|---|---|---|---|
24/22 13/8 | 50.2% | 13.9% | — |
13/11 13/8 | 49.7% | 15% | −0.014 |
13/8 6/4 | 48.7% | 13.8% | −0.069 |
13/6 | 47.5% | 13.3% | −0.106 |
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.