How to Count Pips in Backgammon (and Why It Matters)
The pip count is the single most useful number in backgammon. It tells you who is ahead in the race, and that tells you what kind of game to play.
What a pip count is
Each checker needs a certain number of points (pips) to get off the board. A checker on your 6-point needs 6. A checker on the bar needs 25. Your pip count is the total for all fifteen checkers.
At the start of a game, both sides have 167:
- 2 checkers on the 24-point: 48
- 5 checkers on the 13-point: 65
- 3 checkers on the 8-point: 24
- 5 checkers on the 6-point: 30
48 + 65 + 24 + 30 = 167.
The game on this site shows both pip counts at the top of the screen, but it’s worth being able to count them yourself over a real board.
A quick way to count
- Count one quarter of the board at a time, starting with your home board.
- On each point, multiply the number of checkers by the point number. Three checkers on the 5-point is 15.
- Add the quarters together. Don’t forget checkers on the bar count 25 each.
- Do the same for your opponent, counting from their side.
A shortcut many players use: count only the difference. If you and your opponent have a checker on matching points (your 6 and their 6), those cancel out and you can skip them.
What the numbers mean
- Each roll moves about 8 pips on average, once you allow for doubles. So being on roll is worth roughly 4 pips.
- In a straight race, a lead of around 10 percent of your own count, while you’re on roll, makes you a clear favourite. At a count of 100, that’s about 10 pips.
- A lead of 20 or 30 pips early in the game is big. It usually means you should play safe and race home.
- If you’re a long way behind, don’t race. Keep your anchor, stay in contact and wait for a shot.
Practise it
Try guessing the pip counts during a game here before you look at the numbers at the top of the screen. After a few games you’ll be close every time.