Priming game plans are the next category of backgammon game we will discuss. Here, you are aiming to build a 6-prime, which is a continuous stretch of 6 made points. These games are surprisingly tricky to play.
A prototypical example of a priming play can be found below, lifted from Bill Robertie’s excellent 501 Essential Backgammon Problems:
A natural move that follows from the Safe Play criteria from the last module would be something like 44: 17/13, 14/2. This covers all of the blots, and puts you 7 pips up in the race. The final board looks something like this, which is very clean:
However, the best play by far, thematic to the priming game plan, is to play 44:13/5(2), which completes a 6-prime from the 3-pt to the 8-pt. The position resulting from this move looks like this:
For those of you following the course, the 3 blots within range of a direct shot (any 1s, 2s or 5s will hit) should raise the hair on your arms; however the 6-prime gives you a ton of security. Even in the “worst case scenario” where Gary hits all 3 of your blots and closes his board, you’re still the favorite to win. With a 6-prime trapping his checker in your homeboard, he simply can’t get home to bear off! Eventually, he will be forced to open up his board, and let your 3 blots come off the bar and simply waltz home. By the time Gary’s checker is finally in his homeboard, you’ll have taken 4 or 5 checkers off the board, and you will be cruising to victory.
This is why they say “6-primes win games.”
Further showcasing the strength of the priming game, let’s examine the game-winning chances resulting from the different plays. When making the “wrong move,” your winning chances only improve from 60% to 70%; the priming play increases the win chances up to 90%.1
Further reading:
- A video lesson from Justin Nowell on “6-primes win games”.
- Honestly I nearly fell off my chair when I realized this. Even I didn’t realize just how powerful 6-primes are! ↩︎
Next lesson: Blitz attacks
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