Nackgammon - Backgammon Variant

Nackgammon is a variation of backgammon, named after its inventor, the American backgammon player Nack Ballard. Nackgammon is played almost the same as regular backgammon, apart from the opening position. In Nackgammon opening position, both players have 2 checkers on the 23 point (taken from the 5 checkers on the players' 6 and 13 points). Thus, the Nackgammon players start off with 4 back men instead of 2, limiting the possible strategies into a backgame and a priming game.

Nackgammon is a longer, more skilled variant of backgammon. Except the opening position, which subtracts two checkers from the players 6 and 13 points and adds them to the players' 23 points, Nackgammon is played exactly like backgammon using the doubling cube and the accompanying rules. Nevertheless, the different opening position asks for a different approach.

With extra 2 back checkers at the beginning of the game, obviously the game takes longer. In addition, experienced backgammon players have already acquired the guidance telling them how to play the opening rolls and how to reply the opening rolls, if not further. Since Nackgammon bots are far rarer, one must learn from his own mistakes. Or not. Here are some checked Nackgammon tips for your rescue:

• Bear in mind that in Nackgammon, unlike backgammon, you should mainly focus on protecting the high points on your home board and preventing your player from moving forward and/or escaping.
• Some of backgammon opening rolls are still valid: if your opening roll is 3-1, then you should play 8/4 and 6/4, if it is 6-1, play 13/7 8/7, and if you roll 4-2, 8/4 6/4 would the ultimate play.
• For example: if you roll 5/3, playing 23/20 13/8 or 24/21 23/18 to secure your high points and bar points would be more correct than making your 3-point, (what you should have probably done in backgammon). For the same reason, if you roll 5-4, it would be best for you to play 24/20 13/8 in order to make the advanced anchor and bring down an extra builder/attacker from the 13 point.
• With an opening roll of 5-4 it is probably best to play 24/20 13/8, again for the same reason stated for playing 23/20 13/8 with a 5-3, because you attempt to make the advanced anchor and move an extra builder from the 13-point.
• Finally, remember that the necessity of figuring out your next move, instead of relying on proved successes of pros or backgammon programs, would eventually improve your skills in backgammon!