Just like in chess, backgammon games can be written down using a standard notation system. This notation shows exactly how checkers move, when a blot is hit, when a checker enters from the bar, and how bearing off happens.
It means you can literally replay an entire match from start to finish just by reading the moves — even on paper.
This notation is commonly associated with Paul Magriel (popularized through his classic book Backgammon). Before that, several styles existed, but his approach became the most widely adopted because it’s clear, compact, and practical.
It can look confusing at first — but once you understand the pattern, you’ll be able to read a transcription the same way you read a scoreboard.
How Does Backgammon Notation Work?
A backgammon board has 24 triangles, called points. Those points are like coordinates: they let us describe exactly where a checker starts and where it lands.
The basic format is:
Dice roll : start/end
Example 1 — One checker moved a long distance
If Black rolls 6 and 5 and moves a checker from the 24-point to the 13-point:
65 : 24/13
Moving Two Checkers on the Same Roll
If Black rolls 3 and 1 and uses both numbers to make the 5-point (moving two separate checkers):
31 : 8/5 6/5
That simply means:
- one checker moved from 8 to 5
- another checker moved from 6 to 5
How to Write a Hit
When a checker is hit during a move, your notation uses @ on the landing point where the hit occurred.
Example:
62 : 13/8@
This means Black moved from 13 to 8 and hit a blot on that point.
How to Write Entering from the Bar
When a checker is on the bar and re-enters, write:
bar/entry-point
Example: if Black re-enters two checkers after rolling 4 and 2:
42 : bar/24 bar/21
How to Write Doubles (and Multiple Checkers)
When you roll a double and move multiple checkers to the same destination, you don’t need to write every move separately.
Use:
start/end (number of checkers)
Example: Black rolls double 6 and moves two checkers from 24 to 18:
66 : 24/18 (2)
How to Write Bearing Off
When bearing off, write:
point/off
Example: Black rolls 5 and 2 and bears off from both points:
52 : 5/off 2/off
Practice Exercise: Follow a Full Transcription
Congratulations — you now understand how to read standard backgammon notation.
This skill is extremely useful for:
- discussing strategy with friends
- reading annotated matches
- learning from books and forums
- reviewing your own games later
Below is a full transcription of a match between Paul Magriel and Mike Svobodny, as published in Bill Robertie’s excellent book Backgammon for Serious Players.
How to practice:
Set up a backgammon board in front of you and follow the game move by move until the end.
When you’re done, write in the comments:
- Who won the game?
- How many checkers did the loser still have left to bear off?
Have fun — and may the dice be with you!
Black: Paul Magriel
White: Mike Svobodny
1-White 62 : 1/7 12/14
2-Black 21 : 8/7@ 13/11
3-White 62 : Bar/2 1/7@
4-Black 21 : Bar/23 8/7@
5-White 32 : Bar/2 12/15
6-Black 51 : 13/8 6/5
7-White 31 : 2/5@ 2/3
8-Black 31 : Bar/22 6/5@
9-White 55 : Bar/5@ 12/22@ 17/22
10-Black 54 : Bar/20 Bar/21
11-White 32 : 17/20@ 19/21@
12-Black 65 : Bar/20@
13-White 64 : Bar/4 14/20@
14-Black 65 : Bar/20@
15-White 43 : Bar/4 17/20@
16-Black 11 : Bar/24 Bar/23 6/5@
17-White 63 : Bar/3 15/21
18-Black 65 : 13/7 11/6
19-White 53 : 12/20
20-Black 31 : 13/10 6/5
21-White double to 2
22-Black takes
23-White 31 : 12/13@ 19/22
24-Black stays out
25-White 11 : 3/4 19/21 13/4
26-Black 51 : Bar/24 10/5
27-White 55 : 4/9(3) 9/14
28-Black 51 : 24/18
29-White 53 : 9/14 9/12
30-Black 42 : 18/12@
31-White 54 : Bar/4/9
32-Black 65 : 24/18 12/7
33-White 52 : 14/19 9/11
34-Black 32 : 18/13
35-White 64 : 3/13@
36-Black 62 : Bar/23/17
37-White 66 : 11/17@ 13/19 14/20(3)
38-Black 21 : Bar/21 5/4
39-White 43 : 17/21 19/22
40-Black 22 : 8/4 7/3
41-White 52 : 20/off 19/21
42-Black 61 : 23/16
43-White 31 : 19/22 19/20
44-Black 54 : 16/12 8/3
45-White 22 : 20/22(2)
46-Black 63 : 23/14
47-White 65 : 21/off(2)
48-Black 22 : 12/10 14/8
49-White 66 : 21/off(3) 22/off
50-Black 53 : 10/2
51-White 51 : 22/off 22/23@
52-Black 52 : Bar/23@ 7/2
53-White stays out
54-Black doubles to 4
55-White takes
56-Black 53 : 23/15
57-White stays out
58-Black 31 : 8/7 15/12
59-White stays out
60-Black 51 : 12/7 24/23
61-White stays out
62-Black 43 : 23/16
63-White stays out
64-Black 44 : 16/4 7/3
65-White stays out
66-Black 61 : 24/17
67-White stays out
68-Black 31 : 4/1 17/16
69-White stays out
70-Black 54 : 16/7
71-White stays out
72-Black 43 : 7/4 7/3
73-White stays out
74-Black 32 : 7/5 4/1
75-White cannot move
76-Black 32 : 5/off
77-White cannot move
78-Black 62 : 6/off 6/4
79-White 63 : Bar/9
80-Black 53 : 5/off 3/off
81-White 33 : 9/21
82-Black 63 : 5/off 3/off
83-White doubles to 8
84-Black takes
85-White 22 : 21/off 22/24(2)
86-Black 55 : 4/off(3) 3/off
87-White 41 : 22/off 24/off
88-Black 43 : 3/off 2/off
89-White 65 : 22/off(2)
90-Black 65 : 2/off 1/off
So… who won the game? And how many checkers did the loser still have left to bear off?
