The Doubling Cube

Writen by Levente Galambosi

In backgammon the doubling cube is used to increase the stakes during the game. The doubling cube is a relatively new addition to backgammon but it elevates the game to a new level in terms of strategy. It is important that you know the concept and strategy elements related to the doubling cube because it might be your key to great success.

Using the doubling cube

You normally play backgammon in Match play, i.e. the winner is the player who first reaches a predetermined number of points. Every game is worth one point in the beginning of the game, so in a normal win the winner gets one point.

So, every straigth game win is worth one point in the beginning of the game. At certain point during the game a player can offer the doubling cube to the opponent. If the opponent accepts the cube it is turned on the board so that number 2 is facing upwards and the game now is worth two points. The next doubling can be initiated only by the player who accepted the doubling before. If he decides to double and the opponent accepts the cube will now show 4 and the game is worth four points, etc.

Should a player to whom the doubling is offered feel that he is a real underdog in the game, he can resign. Resigning means the end of the game and the winner gets as many points as the game was worth before the doubling cube was offered to the opponent.

The doubling cube has the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 on its six sides. In theory the players could be doubling also beyond the 64 to 128, 256, etc. but experienced players don't normally accept doublings beyond 4.

Beavers and other rules

Beaver is an optional, but commonly used rule with the doubling cube. It means that the player to whom the doubling was offered can immediately re-double to 4 and keep doubling cube in his possession! This may occur if a player has made a bad judgement of the situation and e.g. prematurely offered the doubling cube to the opponent. The opponent, however, sees the bad judgement and punishes the opponent of it by re-doubling (beaver). A little later he might offer a doubling to 8 if the situation allows, in which case the opponent might want to resign with a 4-point loss..

The Crawford rule is another optional rule that states that if either player gets to one point of winning the match (say the situation is 8-6 in a nine point match) the next game is played without the doubling cube. If the match is still not over after the game the doubling cube is again in use. This rule aims at giving value to the player being one point from victory but at the same time doesn't eliminate the chances of winning for the player behind in points.

Single win, gammon and backgammon

In backgammon a single win is worth one point, a gammon 2 points and a backgammon 3 points. This is multiplied by the number shown on the doubling cube. In other words if a player scored a gammon win and the doubling cube had been used once he scores 2 x 2 = 4 points.

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