The pip count is one of the most important concepts in backgammon — and one of the most overlooked by beginners. Once you understand it, you will make better decisions about when to race, when to hold, and when to use the doubling cube.
This guide explains what the pip count is, how to calculate it, and how to use it during a real game.
What Is the Pip Count?
The pip count is the total number of individual moves each player needs to bear off all their checkers. A pip is one point of movement — moving a checker one triangle forward counts as one pip.
The player with the lower pip count is closer to winning the race.
At the very start of every game, both players have a pip count of exactly 167. The first player to reach zero wins.
Why the Pip Count Matters
Backgammon is fundamentally a race. Knowing who is ahead in the race — and by how much — tells you:
- Whether to play aggressively or defensively
- Whether to offer a double or accept one
- Whether to run your back checkers or hold your position
- Whether bearing off is going as efficiently as it should
Without tracking the pip count, you are making strategic decisions based on guesswork. With it, you can make them with clarity.
How to Calculate Your Pip Count
To count your pip count, multiply the number of checkers on each point by that point’s number, then add everything together.
Formula: (number of checkers on point X) × X = pips from that point
Add up all points to get your total.
Starting position example
At the start of the game, your 15 checkers are placed as follows:
- 2 checkers on the 24-point → 2 × 24 = 48
- 5 checkers on the 13-point → 5 × 13 = 65
- 3 checkers on the 8-point → 3 × 8 = 24
- 5 checkers on the 6-point → 5 × 6 = 30
Total: 48 + 65 + 24 + 30 = 167
Both players start at 167. As checkers move forward, your pip count drops. If a checker is hit and sent to the bar, your pip count rises — re-entering from the bar adds pips back.
Mid-game example
Say your checkers are now:
- 2 checkers on the 18-point → 2 × 18 = 36
- 3 checkers on the 13-point → 3 × 13 = 39
- 5 checkers on the 6-point → 5 × 6 = 30
- 5 checkers on the 4-point → 5 × 4 = 20
Total: 36 + 39 + 30 + 20 = 125
If your opponent’s pip count is 140, you are 15 pips ahead — a meaningful lead in the race.
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Download Free →How to Use the Pip Count During a Game
Deciding when to race
If your pip count is significantly lower than your opponent’s, it pays to avoid contact and race home. The more you engage (hitting and being hit), the more pips you risk adding back to your count.
If your pip count is higher, staying in contact and looking for shots keeps you competitive.
Deciding when to double
The pip count is the clearest guide to doubling decisions in a pure race:
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your count is 10%+ better | Consider doubling — you have a clear race lead |
| Counts are roughly equal | Position and timing matter more than the race |
| Your count is 10%+ worse | Be cautious about accepting a double |
| Your count is 20%+ worse | Likely a pass unless you have strong counterplay |
Example: Your pip count is 90, your opponent’s is 102. You are about 13% ahead. That is a strong doubling position — offer the cube.
Deciding when to take a double
The pip count also guides your decision to accept or decline a double. If you are 10% or less behind in a pure race, taking is usually correct. Beyond 20% behind with no counterplay, passing becomes mathematically correct.
Pip Count Shortcuts
Counting every pip from scratch mid-game is slow. These shortcuts help you estimate quickly without stopping the game.
The reference point method
Memorise the starting pip count (167) and track only the pips each player has moved, then subtract. This is easier than recounting from scratch every time.
Estimate by quadrant
Look at where each player’s back checkers are. Back checkers worth 20–25 pips each dominate the early pip count. If your back checkers are already past your opponent’s, you are almost certainly ahead in the race.
Count the difference, not the total
You only need to know who is ahead and by how much — not the exact numbers for both players. A difference of 10–15 pips in a race of around 100 remaining is significant and worth acting on. A difference of 3–5 pips is not.
The reference point shortcut for mid-game
Pick one player’s position and count their pip count. Then estimate the other player’s count relative to it — are their checkers roughly in the same position, further ahead, or further behind? This gives you a fast comparison without counting both sides fully.
When the Pip Count Matters Most
- Late middle game — when contact is ending and the position is becoming a race
- Doubling decisions — the pip count is the most reliable guide for race cubes
- Choosing between running and holding — knowing who is ahead tells you which strategy to use
- During bearing off — always track whether you are racing efficiently and whether to double
When the Pip Count Is Less Useful
In positions with heavy contact — lots of blots, active hitting, and back game situations — the pip count alone does not tell the full story. Positional strength, board control, and timing all matter more than the raw pip count in complex contact positions.
The pip count is most reliable and most useful in pure race positions, where both players are simply racing to bear off with no more contact.
Common Pip Count Mistakes
Ignoring it entirely. Many beginners never count pips and make doubling and racing decisions by feel. This consistently leads to errors — doubling too late, running when you should hold, or taking when you should pass.
Counting only your own pips. The pip count only tells you something useful when compared to your opponent’s. Always count both.
Acting on a small difference. A 5-pip difference in a race of 150 is nothing. A 5-pip difference in a race of 30 is enormous. Always consider the size of the lead relative to the total pips remaining.
Forgetting the bar. If you or your opponent have checkers on the bar, the re-entry cost adds pips. A checker on the bar in an open position may cost 3–5 additional pips on average.
Quick Reference — Pip Count
- Starting pip count for both players: 167
- Lower pip count = closer to winning the race
- Count: (checkers on point) × (point number), add all points together
- 10%+ ahead → consider doubling
- 10%+ behind → be cautious taking a double
- 20%+ behind → likely a pass in a pure race
- Count the difference, not just the total