Catching the Backgammon Cheats in Action

Every game has its fair share of cheats. Thankfully, cheating in backgammon is far more difficult than in many common card games. This is due to the use of precision dice which are virtually tamper-proof. You can deter backgammon cheats by insisting on precision dice at every live game.

However, where there's a will, there's a way. The most common method backgammon cheats use is known as “placing.” The cheat will place the backgammon dice in the cup but will turn one around face up inside to the number he desires. The dice is then shaken with the cheat's finger inside the cup to keep it in place. On paper, this method of cheating sounds easy and many people believe they will not be fooled. However, some players are so good at placing that you will probably fail to notice it. For this reason, watch your opponent's dice-shaking technique as closely as you can.

Another method used by backgammon cheats is playing with loaded dice. If you weight the backgammon dice down, you can affect the way in which they roll. This is where insisting on precision dice will make you less of a target for backgammon cheats. Precision dice are generally transparent and cannot be weighted without damaging their surfaces.