The 24/18 13/10 Backgammon Opening Play
The 24/18 13/10 opening play takes on a balanced approach to the six-three opening roll. Like any other split and build play in backgammon, doing 24/18 13/10 takes on considerable risk while keeping a strong position on the board. Let's take a look at the strengths of this backgammon play for the six-three opening roll.
Playing 24/18 13/10 lands one of your back checkers on your opponent's bar-point. After making this backgammon play during the opening roll, you will then be presented with two options. First option is to make your opponent's bar-point on your next turn.
Doing a 24/18 13/10 is an excellent piece of strategy, since your opponent's bar-point is a very important point to control on the backgammon board. By controlling this strategic point on the backgammon board, you are denying your opponent the chance of making a prime. The best backgammon primes your opponent can ever make will require a block on the bar-point.
Any of your opponent's checkers that land on the outfield/outer board is easily in check by your checker on the 18-point, which adds an excellent feature to the 24/18 13/10 opening play. Doing 24/18 13/10 in the opening roll puts your backgammon checkers on a very advantageous position.
Backgammon experts have noted that your opponent has a two-to-one odds to hit your blot on the 18-point in reply to the opening roll. A good piece of consolation for us when we do a 24/18 13/10 is that if our opponent hits and doesn't make the 18-point we have a good chance to hit back.
Getting hit this early in a backgammon game isn't that bad at all. Aside from the good probability that we can hit right back, we also have lost only little in the pip count. If ever we get a chance to land a shot right back, our opponent would really fall behind in the backgammon race.
Your builder on the 10-point is quite safe being nine pips away from any shot from your opponent's backgammon checkers. Your opponent can hit that backgammon checker with a six-three, a five-four, or a double three. This backgammon checker adds to your coverage of your side of the board. It is also in a great position to make a point on your home board in the next turn.
The 24/18 13/10 opening play is both constructive and provocative. It does take some risks but will help you play out the dice rolls nicely. This backgammon play may yet be your best option for the six-three opening roll.