From the beginning of the game, players should be considering how they could block the opponent from moving across the board. One of the best ways to do this is to build several consecutive blocking points on the board. This is known as backgammon priming and also serves to prevent the opponent from letting his back checkers escape.

A priming game occurs when both sides have developed a four or five prime block each. Naturally, there will be several checkers blocked behind these primes. If both sides have built primes, it is not to say that one is not more at an advantage than the other. There are several factors that you need to consider to work out your position in a priming game and what your subsequent move should be.

Position of Your Trapped Checkers - Checkers which are positioned just before the prime have a better chance of escaping the prime than checkers further back behind the prime. If the checker which is trapped is on the edge of the five prime block, this is better than being further back behind the backgammon priming row, because the checker can escape the prime if the dice score is 6. With a six prime block, if the checker has been hit and is on the bar, then that player does not even have an option of moving on the board.

Possibilities for Advancing Your Checkers - If you have a prime, and you also have several other checkers to advance, while your opponent does not, it means you have a better backgammon priming position, because you can continue to move ahead in the game, while maintaining the prime. Your opponent, on the other hand, will have to start breaking up their priming block in order to keep playing the dice score. This will almost make certain that you win the online backgammon game.

Size of the Prime - A five prime block is better than a four prime block. This is because, for the five prime block, the player has only one dice score to get out of the prime, while with the four prime, he has only two options to escape. A six prime block completely stops the opponent's checker from advancing, no matter what the dice score is.