What is Match Play in Backgammon?
I would say at least one-third of the homes in America have a backgammon set in the closet. This is approximately the same number of homes that tune into desperate housewives every week, do not consider cats a symbol of evil, and are still breathing asbestos insulation without their knowledge. There is no doubting the popularity of backgammon in the United States, but there is a large contingent of players out there who are unaware that there are actually backgammon matches. Before a match can start it must be determined how many points it will take to win. Once the number of points has been worked out, the winner is the one who first reaches the predetermined goal. Points are awarded in the following manner: one for a single game, two for a gammon, and three for a backgammon. To keep things interesting, the doubling cube is used, so the number of points a player receives is multiplied by the value of the cube. During match play you can forget automatic doubles, beavers, and the Jacoby
