# Backgammon rules question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-rules-question/849616>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [March 17, 2020, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-rules-question/849616 "2020-03-17T00:20:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 11

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-rules-question/849616/11 "2020-03-18T13:05:54Z")

</div>

The same rule was discussed in a 2-years-ago thread:

> [@Go](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/go/810762/16):
>
> There’s a possible ambiguity in the rule:
> 
> - You must take your entire roll if possible.\*
> 
> ```php
> +13-14-15-16-17-18------19-20-21-22-23-24-+     
> | O O | | O O O O O |     
> | | | O O O O O |
> | | | |
> | | | |
> | | | |
> | |BAR| |     
> | | | |
> | | | |
> | | | |
> | | | X O |     
> | | | X X O O |     
> +12-11-10--9--8--7-------6--5--4--3--2--1-+     
> 
> ```
> 
> If X rolls 3-1 in this position he is not allowed to play 6/5 and say “I have no 3.” He must find a way to play both 3 and 1 … and thereby leave three blots!
> 
> HOWEVER, if he rolls 6-1 he is NOT required to play 6/0 5/4 and leave two blots. He is allowed to play safe with 6/5/0 — this is considered “taking the whole roll” even though a pip is wasted with the 6.

(Some of the followuup was [in a separate thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20952623).)

---

_[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-rules-question/849616)._