Prime

How it works in play

A prime is a wall of consecutive made points. A checker directly behind a 4-prime can still jump it with 5s and 6s when the landing points are open; a 5-prime leaves only the 6; a full 6-prime can’t be passed by any roll, so a trapped checker waits until the prime breaks.

Related terms

• Block — A made point that prevents the opponent’s checkers from landing on it.
• Closeout — All six home-board points made while the opponent sits on the bar — they cannot enter until a point opens.
• Bar point — The 7-point. After the 5-point, the second-most-valuable offensive point.
• Golden point — The 5-point (offense) — or the 20-point as the defensive "golden anchor."
• Timing — In holding and back games: how long you can wait before being forced to break a key point.

Go deeper

• Game plans: the priming game
• Backgammon strategy, from first roll to bear-off

In other languages

• العربيةالسدّ (Prime)
• ΕλληνικάΦράγμα (prime)
• فارسیپرایم (Prime)
• עבריתפריים (Prime)
• РусскийПрайм (prime)
• TürkçePrime