Opening 6-2: run or split

24/18 13/11 is the most common play. 13/5 is a genuine alternative and rollouts are close.

24/18 13/11Rollouts are close

Backgammon board after the opening roll 6-2 played 24/18 13/11 — The position after 24/18 13/11. The 18-point and 11-point are highlighted.

Why this play

24/18 gets a back checker out to the edge of your opponent's outer board. It is exposed there, but only to indirect shots from most of their checkers.
13/11 adds a builder aimed at the 5-point and the bar point, so if your blot on the 18-point survives you are well placed.
13/5 instead moves one checker deep into your home board, safe but slow, and does nothing about the back checkers. Rollouts rate it close, which surprises people, but it commits a checker to a point you do not yet own.

The mistake to avoid

24/16 runs one checker to the 16-point, where it sits in direct range of everything. Avoid it.

How settled is this? Rollouts are close. Either main option is defensible, and the match score should push you one way or the other.

Knowing the play and making it under pressure are different skills

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best play for an opening 6-2 in backgammon?

24/18 13/11. 24/18 13/11 is the most common play. 13/5 is a genuine alternative and rollouts are close.

Why not play something else with 6-2?

24/16 runs one checker to the 16-point, where it sits in direct range of everything. Avoid it.