# Backgammon setup mnemonic?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [August 20, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449 "2003-08-20T14:50:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449/1 "2003-08-20T14:50:45Z")

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I am ashamed to admit that I always have to look at the little diagram in the rules booklet to remember how to set up the pieces for backgammon.

Is there some kind of trick to help remember? A little rhyme or something?

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**Author:** ![madcoww](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2bfe46/32.png) [@madcoww](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madcoww)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449/2 "2018-08-19T18:12:01Z")

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**Five were at home while still at the bar,  
Gossip of lovers who bid au revoir.  
Five again had an unlucky fate,  
Watching the trio who had all ate.**

Explanation  
This is a simple poem to help remember how to setup a game of backgammon. The first line indicates 5 checkers are places in the the home board against the bar, which is the 6 point. The second line indicates 2 checkers are placed as far away as possible on the 24 point. The third line indicates another 5 checkers are placed on the 13 point, as 13 is often considered an unlucky number. The final line is a play on words that indicates that 3 checkers are placed on the 8 point.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449/3 "2018-08-19T20:44:34Z")

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What took you so long?😉

Moved to the Game Room, which didn’t exist when this thread was started 15 years ago.

Colibri  
General Questions Moderator

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/backgammon-setup-mnemonic/196449/4 "2018-08-19T21:30:05Z")

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Here’s your mantra: “2/24, 5/13, 3/8, 5/6”