Welcome to Notation Class.

It's quite a simple and easy to learn concept which will help you to answer and understand the questions/moves in the groups and when reading Backgammon books.

Fig : 1 - Homeboard

Our homeboard is at the bottom right hand side (RHS) our opponents is on the top RHS.

Opening Roll 62.

We have rolled the 6 so we have won the opening roll.

Our homeboard is marked 6,5,4,3,2,1 and we have 2 checkers on the 24 point (top RHS)

Fig : 2 - Homeboard

We Move the 6 as indicated on the board with an arrow, by coming out from the 24 point to the 18 point.

Notation for this move is 24/18.

The 2 we'll drop down a checker, from the 13 point to the 11 point using Notation, we write this move as follows 13/11.

Combining both moves are written like this 24/18 13/11.

Simple Right ?

Fig : 3 - Homeboard

How the 62 - 24/18 13/11 move ends up.

Fig : 4 - Homeboard

Another Example, we roll a 31, lets unstack the 8 point and the heavy 6 point.

Fig : 5 - Homeboard

Notation for this move is written 8/5 6/5.

Fig : 6 - Homeboard

How the 31 - 8/5 6/5 move ends up.

Fig : 7 - Homeboard

Here we have a variation, We roll a double 33

8/5 we'll move both checkers on the 8 point to the 5 point, this is written like this 8/5(2)

The other 3's we'll unstack the heavy 6 point with 2 checkers and move them to the 3 point. This is written 6/3(2)

Fig : 8 - Homeboard

Wait a minute, so that move is 8/5(2) 6/3(2) ?

Fig : 9 - Homeboard

Not quite, notice we've hit our opponents checker on the 5 point and sent her to the bar.

So the correct Notation for this move is 8/5*(2) 6/3(2)

* Represents a Hit

From the same board let's say we had moved 4 checkers from the 6 point to the 3 point, how would that be written? Easy 6/3(4)

The (3) refers to a 3 checker move.

A couple more things to remember.

Fig : 10 - Homeboard

White (us) is on the bar this time and has rolled a 22.

We come in from the bar to the 23 point in our opponents homeboard, this is written Bar/23

We dont hit so there's no need to add the *

Fig : 11 - Homeboard

So Bar/23

We have 3 more rolls to play.

The checker on the 15 point, we move to the 13 point then with the remaining 2 checkers we drop both down to the 11 point.

To conclude this is written Bar/23 15/13 13/11(2)

Fig : 12 - Homeboard

How the 22 - Bar/23 15/13 13/11(2) move ends up.

So we've learnt how Notation is written per move.

Resume - We're just finishing up

* is used for a hit,

(2) is used for 2 checkers,

(3) is used for 3 checkers,

(4) is used for 4 checkers,

Bar is used to indicate the placement of a checker that's been hit before we've made a move.

There's only one more thing pending and you'll find it in Fig's : 13 & 14

Fig : 13 - Homeboard

Bearing off : White (us) we have rolled 65.

We have all of our checkers in our homeboard (with the exeption of 2 checkers that are already borne off) so we'll want to remove 2 checkers as with this roll,

Using Notation this is written 6/off 5/off.

Fig : 14 - Homeboard

How the 65 move ends up. 6/off 5/off.

That's Notation, Pretty Simple hey?

Written by Mark Fradley - Founder of the 10BC Tenerife Backgammon Club.