The 24/18 Opening Play in Backgammon
There are three favorite plays in backgammon for the five-one opening roll. The plays from the most popular to the least popular play are 24/23 13/8, 13/8 6/5, and 24/18. Each play has its own approach to the five-one opening roll. The 24/18 play is not that popular among players in backgammon. Very few appreciate the gamble involved when taking this approach in the opening roll. Let's take a look at this approach to the five-one opening roll in backgammon.
The 24/18 can be considered a type of running play in backgammon since it takes advantage of the possibility to run a back checker as far away as possible. But running plays in backgammon also have the notion that when you run a back checker, you hope to land it on safe ground where it isn't going to be hit. If that can't be achieved, then just reducing the risk of being hit is a good alternative.
But by doing a 24/18 play for this opening roll, you don't only run a back checker; you also slot your opponent's bar point (i.e. the 18-point on the backgammon board). From here you will be left with two options in your backgammon game. You either continue running the same checker off to safety or to make this important point in your next turn. The choice is yours, whether to run and take the lead in the race or to take a strategic position.
A third alternative comes along due to the good coverage the checker on 18-point gives in backgammon. Any roll short of a total of six points can result in an enemy checker getting hit if they land on your opponent's outfield. These three options make up a form of aggressive play early in the opening roll. This is a pretty interesting gamble during the early part of a backgammon game.
This approach to the five-one opening roll backfires on only one point backgammon. Your blot on the 18-point is quite vulnerable to attack. If your opponent rolls a one or a six (or a total of six on two dice) that blot somehow becomes an irresistible target.
The only consolation is that you lose only as much as seven pips and the strategic position that could have been yours. Nevertheless, hitting back is never a bad idea at this point in a backgammon game.
By doing a 24/18 play you are taking a perfectly acceptable alternative to play to five-one opening roll in backgammon. This approach takes a gamble for an aggressive position in backgammon.