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Backgammon glossary · A

Advanced anchor

An anchor on the 20-point (the "golden anchor") or the 18-point.

How it works in play

An advanced anchor sits high enough to watch the opponent’s outfield, so every checker they bring home has to get past it, and your back checkers are much harder to trap behind a prime. Making one, ideally on the 20-point, is the main reason strong players split their back checkers early.

  • Anchor — A point made (2+ checkers) in the opponent’s home board. Defensive.
  • Golden point — The 5-point (offense) — or the 20-point as the defensive "golden anchor."
  • Holding game — Strategy of holding an anchor in the opponent’s territory (typically the 20-point) and waiting for a shot.
  • Prime — Consecutive made points (a 4-prime, 5-prime, or the impassable 6-prime).

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