Match Play, Gammons & Scoring
📋 What it is
A gammon (winning before the loser bears off any checker) scores double; the match score changes your strategy.
🗣️ Coach says
A normal win is 1 point; win before your opponent bears off ANY checker (a gammon) and it's 2; a backgammon (they also have a checker in your home/bar) is 3. In a race to a target score, how many points you need changes whether you play for the gammon or just the win.
🧠 Memory hook
Plain win = 1, gammon = 2, backgammon = 3. The score sets your goal.
😂 Giggle
Why did the checker rush to safety?
Because leaving a blot in danger is asking to be sent all the way back!
😲 Whoa!
Chasing a gammon can be worth taking extra risk — but only when the match score makes those 2 points matter; context changes the "best" move.
✅ Quick check: What is a gammon, and how much does it score?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
Winning before your opponent has borne off ANY checker — it scores 2 points (double a normal win).
A gammon doubles the score because the loser removed no checkers.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Play a game and check at the end: did the loser bear off at least one checker? If not, it was a gammon.