The 24/14 Backgammon Running Play
One very interesting backgammon opening roll is the six-four. This opening roll opens up different opportunities depending on how you play it in backgammon. There isn't even a clear favorite among the three best plays you can make from this opening roll. One interesting approach for this opening roll is a running play by doing 24/14.
Doing a 24/14 in the opening roll runs a back checker to the 14-point on the backgammon board. Like every other running play, the next phase of the plan is to run this same backgammon checker off to safety on the next turn. There is no sense making this point since this position can do very little to help contain any opposing checker that crosses over.
If luck smiles on you at this juncture, you'll be making a point on your outer board later on in the backgammon game. Getting a five-four, a four-three, or a three-two on your next turn will set you up to make a point on the out field.
The objective of every running play in backgammon is to escape a back checker. If you succeed in doing this, you'll have a very significant advantage during a game of backgammon. Succeeding in this strategic objective would mean that you will now have a good lead in the pip count early in a backgammon game.
Another advantage is that your opponent will have greater difficulty closing out that single backgammon checker on the 24-point. A good move at this point in a backgammon game would be to escape the runner as well when the opportunity comes.
The draw back to this backgammon play is that your blot on the 14-point might get hit during your opponent's turn. This is a risk that every backgammon running play will have to take during a game. If your opponent does manage to hit your blot in the reply to the opening roll, you will be down at least five pips in the pip count. Your opponent will also have a builder exactly on a prime spot to make points on the home board.
Your opponent has an 11 out of 36 chance of hitting your blot on the 14-point. If you think that the odds are good enough, then the 24/14 backgammon play is reasonable enough to execute during the opening roll. The 24/14 backgammon running play is the second best play for the six-four opening roll.
The 24/14 backgammon running play is an excellent approach to the six-four opening roll. It does take risks during the early stages of a backgammon game, but such risk is well calculated.