Beginners Guide To Counting Pips

by Mark Driver
25 May 2000

Introduction

At the outset I should emphasize that I am in no way an expert Backgammon player. On a good day I would judge my skill level to be of intermediate standard. Readers who are familiar with the intricacies of pip counting would gain little from this tutorial. It is aimed to be a primer and a guide for beginners to progressively incorporate pip counting into their play.

The Basics

In the introduction to his 'Bible' of Backgammon, * Paul Magriel asserts that "Backgammon is emphatically not a game of mathematical calculations; it is primarily a game of position and strategy - a game of recognizing and anticipating visual patterns". However, in chapter ten the author provides a timely reminder that "Backgammon is essentially a race...being able to determine your relative position in this race is often essential". **

* 'Backgammon' by Paul Magriel, (X-22 Publishing, 1976).
** Magriel at page 126
 

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