Backgammon Four-Three Opening Roll: Popular Plays
There are a lot of ways to play the four-three opening roll correctly. There isn't much of a consensus on what is the best way to play this opening roll. Here are the good points and bad points of some of the best moves for this opening roll. These plays for the four-three opening roll seem to be the favorites.
Using the four on a four-three opening roll you have the option to split your back men by doing a 24/20. Obviously a backgammon player making this play on this opening roll is slotting the 20-point. Your opponent's five-point is definitely the best place to hold an anchor on the enemy home board.
Another advantage of making a 24/20 move during this opening roll is that it gives better coverage. You now have a better chance of hitting any blots on your opponent's side of the backgammon board. This adds to your opponent's worries about bringing down some really good builders.
The downside to this move on the four-three opening roll is that your opponent's five point is well-disputed slot. Since you have that blot on the backgammon board, you can expect that your opponent will not let it go easily. Expect a good fight for it and expect to get hit after making the opening roll.
Another favorite move for the four on a four-three opening roll is to bring down a builder from the mid-point by doing a 13/9. The nine-point on the backgammon board is an excellent spot to place a builder in backgammon. A checker on the nine-point also gives you the chance to hit any checker trying to escape from your own home board.
The downside if you make this play in the opening roll is that your checker stationed at the nine-point is easy pickings for your opponent also. Your opponent has six out of thirty-six ways to hit that blot. When you make such a play in the opening roll, remember to weigh the risks versus the benefits.
There are two favorite plays for the three as well. The first one is to split your back men by doing a 24/21 in a four-three opening roll. This blot on the backgammon board (i.e. the 21-point) is not as vulnerable to hits as a checker on the 20-point.
If your opponent does get a chance to hit your checker on the 21-point you can still enter or get past that by landing on the 21-point. Another option, though not really that popular, is to hit right back.
The downside to this opening roll play is that it isn't really as effective an anchor as the 21-point. It has less coverage of the opponent's side of the board.
The other favorite play for the three in the four-three opening roll is to do a 13/10. It is quite hard to hit, but is not as effective in building points.
These are the favorite plays for the four-three opening roll in backgammon. Make your choice by checking the benefits versus the disadvantages.