Casino Backgammon

Introduction

Casino Backgammon is a table-based game that first appeared in Las Vegas at O'Sheas casino around May 2010. Unfortunately, it didn't last long at that location. Upon inquiring with some dealers about its disappearance, I learned it didn't perform well. Moreover, the original website dedicated to this game seems to have disappeared, making it increasingly unlikely to find this game anywhere.

The game's setup resembles one half of a traditional backgammon board. Players start with two pieces on the board, and the objective is to roll the dice, moving them over the Jump Bar in a single turn, and then off the board within two or three turns. Detailed betting options and rules follow below.

Rules

Before we dive deeper, let's clarify some essential terms.

• Home Board : This refers to the six points located to the right of the Jump Bar.
• Jump Bar : The bar that separates the inner board from the outer board. The aim of the first dice roll is to successfully move both pieces over this Jump Bar.
• Points : These are the triangular spaces that the pieces traverse.
• Out Bar : Positioned on the opposite end of the outer board, the goal of the subsequent rolls is to move both pieces across this Out Bar.
• Outer Board : The six points situated to the left of the Jump Bar.

Three bets are available, as follows.

• Jump : A win occurs for this bet if both pieces cross over the Jump Bar in a single roll.
• Out : This bet is successful if both pieces exit the board in two rolls, or in three rolls if one of the earlier rolls is a double.
• Doubles : A side wager concerning the number and type of doubles rolled.

Jump and Out bets must be equal.

Following are the specific rules.

1. The game commences with two pieces positioned on what is designated as 'point 1,' which is two points from the Jump Bar.
2. Players make their wagers.
3. The designated shooter rolls two dice.
4. Each piece is advanced according to the specific number shown on the rolled dice. For instance, if the shooter gets a 4 and a 5, one piece will move 4 points and the other will advance 5 points.
5. In the event of rolling doubles, the player moves each piece based on the individual die rolls. This differs from traditional backgammon, where players multiply the roll of each die by two. See Rule 8 for further details concerning doubles.
6. The focus of the initial roll is to successfully move both pieces over the Jump Bar. If this is accomplished, the Jump bet is considered a win.
7. The shooter will roll the dice again.
8. The piece that has the greatest distance to travel is moved the number of points indicated by the larger die, while the piece that is closer to exiting the board is moved according to the smaller die's value. If both pieces surpass the Out Bar, the Out bet is a winner.
9. Should the player roll doubles during either the first or second turn, a third opportunity to roll will be granted if there are still pieces on the board or if a player has placed the Doubles bet.
10. If the last Jump or Out bet was a winning one, and the shooter wishes to continue rolling, then the procedures from rules 2 to 9 are repeated, only now the pieces located at 'point 2' will be the ones to move.
11. If the last Jump or Out bet was a winning one and the shooter chooses to keep rolling, the same rules apply, except this time the pieces on 'point 3' are the ones that will move.
12. In the case where the last Jump or Out bet was a winning one and the shooter wants to proceed, the rules from 2 to 9 will still apply, but the pieces situated at 'point 4' will be the ones moving.
13. If the last Jump or Out bet resulted in a win and the shooter wants to keep rolling, the same set of rules will apply, with the pieces on 'point 5' taking their turn.
14. Should the shooter decide not to roll any longer after any Doubles bet, they can pass the dice to the next player. The next shooter will then begin with their pieces placed on 'point 1.'

The payouts for winning Jump and Out bets are determined based on the initial point they started from.

The payouts for the Doubles wager are calculated based on how many doubles occur at each point. Below is the payout table for Doubles betting.

Analysis

The next five tables analyze the Jump bet at each starting position, with positive returns indicating a player advantage.

The following five tables examine the performance of the Out bet at each starting position.

Players are required to place equal bets on both Jump and Out bets. Thus, a critical question arises: what is the average return for these two bets? The subsequent table provides a summary of the return for both bets at each point, along with the average return.

The final table presents the various possible outcomes and returns associated with the Doubles bet.

Strategy

The Jump and Out bets at point 4 represent the most favorable option in the game, coming with only a 3.00% house edge. If you feel compelled to make a bet, I suggest focusing solely on this option. If you must engage with other points, try to ensure your bets counteract the house's advantage.

It's worth noting that the Jump and Out bets at point 1 carry the second lowest house edge of 4.29%. If playing solo, it would be wise to keep the dice to yourself when the option arises, allowing you to repeat the bets at point 1, rather than risking a 6.39% house advantage on point 2 bets.

Acknowledgements

• Gratitude goes to Eliot Jacobson for providing the mathematical report on the game that I needed in relation to the Out bet.
• A special thanks to the numerous members who helped decode the rules on my associated website. Wizard of Vegas .

Written by: Michael Shackleford