Why the fuss about the backgammon dice?

Novices to the backgammon game may sometimes be surprised at how fussy veteran backgammon players are about the type of dice used in a backgammon game. Players will sometimes refuse to play if they are not using quality backgammon dice. In fact, the design of those two little cubes is central to achieving a fair game.

The goal of perfect backgammon dice is to ensure that each roll by a backgammon player in the game is random. All games that include dice as part of the play require that same randomness. Casino dice, for instance, used in crap games are manufactured to very high standards. The dice are very precise in their smoothness and square shape. Often the dice are transparent so that players can see there are no weights inside the dice that could bias the rolls.

Backgammon players are no less concerned that their dice give random rolls. Unlike crap dice that are square sided, backgammon dice are beveled on the corners to ensure that they roll. This is because a crap table is much longer and players must bounce the dice against the wall. A backgammon game board playing area is much smaller so the dice must be able to roll easily. Also, the rounded corners will not cut into the surface of the board and ruin the markings.

So precise must the backgammon dice be, that even the pips on the dice should only be painted on and not indented. Indentations could alter the balance of the dice and not give a random roll. Backgammon players take their game very seriously and will do everything they can to ensure a fair backgammon game.