What is your best opening move?

[Trish H]

Hi everyone.

I was looking through an article and they said:

The best opening roll (3-1) only gives that player a 55% chance to win.

I found it interesting that an opening roll could give you a better chance of winning.

I am curious what others thought.  Is there an opening roll, like 3-1, that is the best opening roll to determine if you win?

What do you think?

For an aid describing the backgammon board, see the Common Nomenclatures of the Backgammon Board

[hank]

I'm not certain a proclamation of winning percent can be made of the opening roll. Too much is unknown at the start of the game.

If I were to pick a preferred opening roll, I prefer 61 (⚅⚀).

I would use the 61 roll to block my Bar-Point (aka the 7th point on the board). 

I consider the beginning of the game to be a race. Given the opening roll cannot be a doubles roll, by the rules of the game, my opponent has the advantage of rolling 66 on their 1st roll. Blocking the bar and the movement of my opponent checkers from point 1 feels advantageous.  Another good "run" opening roll of my opponent, 65 is also blocked this way.

[REALThomas]

My favourite opening rolls are the ones that block at least one of my opponent's points.
That would be ⚀ ⚅ , ⚁ ⚃ , ⚂ ⚄ and any doubles.

[hank]

And ⚂⚀ then too.

[REALThomas]

And ⚂⚀ then too.

Aah, now I see  thx