Ok, I have a bit different question, not a problem in the game.



So, I was just wondering, why is the starting position the way it is. Are there any good reasons for that or it is just the way the game has evolved and players found out this is the best and most interesting way to start a game? Are there any other variations of starting positions and people play that? Were starting positions at any time in the past different?

Thank you

It mostly (I believe) is just a result of the evolution of the game, but the starting position for standard BG does have some features that make for an interesting game. The starting position gives each player enough ammunition to prime or attack the opponent’s back checkers and forces players to balance this attack with escaping or anchoring their own back men.

There are variants that use different starting positions. The most common is Nackgammon, which is designed to favor development of forward positions over simply running the back checkers. It’s a similar position - one checker is removed from each of the points that have five checkers in the standard position, and these two checkers are placed one point ahead of the back checkers. (The 23 point for black, the 2 point for white in your diagram).

I have also heard of variants where there are no checkers on the board to start and checkers are entered via dice rolls and all must travel all the way around the board, but these seem less commonly played.

There are many different games on the BG board and several startig positions or directions to move. Nackgammon is a more recent addition (compared to the thousands of years).
I doubt that anyone (maybe Albert Steg) knows more than it is played that way for a long long time....

Many years ago, my University friends and I would play (sometimes) with all checkers off the board. You would bear on and bear off. Also, when you rolled doubles, you played the four numbers and then the doubles on the other side of the dice. I don't remember if you got to roll again (another version we had heard of). I think we called it Russian backgammon, but it was a long time ago.

I've played some Nackgammon, but it doesn't seem to end up any more interesting than regular backgammon. Often it just turns into a holding game since the right opening strategy when you can't hit or make a point is to aggressively activate the back checkers. You just play 23/20 with an opening 2-1 for instance.

I've also played many games against one opponent where I got to start with an opening 3-1 and she got to start with the cube and the roll. (That's pretty close to even at the start, but I think it tends to be easier to play from the 3-1 side.)

I also played some one point matches where I started with a 16th checker on my 24 point. Pretty sure I had a solid advantage there. Maybe in a game where gammons counted it would be closer.

A friend of mine played this game where 2s had to be played backwards! Confusion and hilarity ensued. I'd be afraid of playing that and messing up my brain.

Not the same, but I used to play against a former friend and I would start with a 2-1 played 13/11 6/5 and he would double before his first move!

Ah, good old times!

One other funny "starting position" I remembered -- There was one player in the late 90s who would casually bring up a game where both players start with a single checker on their 24 point. Doubling cube in play. Of course this player had all the correct cube actions memorized!