Bearing in is the transitional phase that bridges the middle game and the endgame. It sounds simple — just move your checkers home — but how you bear in has a direct impact on your efficiency when bearing off. Poor bearing-in choices waste pips, create gaps, and cost you the game. This guide explains exactly how to bear in well.
Key Takeaways
- Bearing in means moving all 15 checkers into your home board (points 1–6) before bearing off can begin
- Even distribution across all six home board points is more efficient than stacking checkers on low points
- Avoid creating gaps (empty points) in your home board during this phase where possible
- Exposed blots during bearing in are dangerous — getting hit resets a checker to the bar
- Your pip count determines who is winning the race — check it before making bearing-in decisions
- The faster you can complete bearing in without wasting rolls, the sooner you can start removing checkers
What Is Bearing In?
In backgammon, bearing in is the phase in which you move all your checkers from the outer board and your opponent’s side of the board into your own home board (points 1–6). This phase must be fully completed before you can start bearing off — that is, removing checkers from the board.
The home board consists of your six lowest-numbered points:
| Point | Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1-point (ace point) |
| 2 | 2-point (deuce point) |
| 3 | 3-point |
| 4 | 4-point |
| 5 | 5-point |
| 6 | 6-point (bar point) |
Once all 15 checkers occupy any combination of these six points, you may begin bearing off on your next turn.
Why Efficient Bearing In Matters
The difference between a well-distributed home board and a poorly distributed one can be several wasted rolls during bearoff. Consider two extreme examples:
Position A — Even distribution (ideal): 3 checkers on each of points 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
On any roll, both dice are likely to be playable. You almost never waste a die.
Position B — Stacked position (inefficient): 8 checkers on the 2-point, 7 checkers on the 1-point
With double 6s, double 5s, double 4s, or double 3s, you are forced to play to low points or waste the roll. Bearoff takes considerably longer.
The goal of bearing in is to arrive at a distribution like Position A rather than Position B.
The Key Principles of Bearing In
1. Spread Evenly Across All Six Points
Whenever you have a choice, move checkers to empty or sparse points in your home board rather than adding to already-crowded points. This improves your bearoff efficiency significantly.
Practical rule: Prefer landing on your 5-point or 6-point with incoming checkers if those points are empty or light. Don’t pile everything onto the 1-point and 2-point.
2. Fill Gaps First
A gap — an empty point in your home board — is inefficient during bearoff because rolls that would land on that point are wasted. During bearing in:
- Move to fill gaps where possible
- If you roll a 5, for example, and you have a gap on your 5-point, fill it with an incoming checker
- Filled points give you more bearing-off options
3. Avoid Blots During Bearing In
A blot (single exposed checker) during bearing in is a liability. If hit, the checker goes to the bar and must re-enter your opponent’s home board — potentially setting you back many turns. When you still have contact with your opponent:
- Avoid moving to a point singly if your opponent has checkers that can hit
- If you must leave a blot, prefer leaving it further from your opponent’s active checkers
- Use the priming strategy context: if your opponent has no shots, blots are fine
4. Count Your Pips
Use the pip count to determine whether you are ahead or behind in the race. If you are significantly ahead:
- You can afford to be less careful about blots (your opponent’s cube decisions will be affected)
- Consider doubling before your opponent gets too far in bearoff themselves
If you are behind:
- Play more conservatively to avoid being hit
- Consider whether a gammon threat or hit opportunity still exists
5. Timing and the Doubling Cube
The bearing-in phase is often the moment to think about the doubling cube. If you are winning the race clearly:
- Double before your opponent has too clear a pass
- The “threshold” for doubling in a pure race is roughly a 10% pip lead
- Don’t wait until you’re bearing off to offer the cube — you may lose cube efficiency
Common Bearing-In Mistakes
Stacking on Low Points
Many beginners instinctively move incoming checkers to the 1-point and 2-point because these are “safe” (they can’t overshoot). But this creates an inefficient pile that wastes many rolls during bearoff.
Fix: Aim for the 5-point and 6-point with incoming high-board checkers.
Ignoring Contact
During bearing in, if your opponent still has checkers behind yours (or on the bar), there is still contact — the game is not a pure race yet. Many players treat bearing in as already “won” and get hit by a late shot.
Fix: Check whether your opponent has any shots before playing carelessly. See backgammon anchor strategy for how anchors create late game threats.
Forgetting to Check the Pip Count
Making bearing-in decisions without knowing your pip count is like driving without looking at the road. You need to know if you’re ahead or behind to choose correctly between aggressive and conservative plays.
Fix: Count pips or estimate before making decisions. See the pip count guide for fast counting methods.
Not Doubling at the Right Moment
Many players forget to double during the bearing-in phase and lose the initiative. The cube is most valuable when offered at the right moment — not too early, not too late.
Fix: Learn the doubling cube thresholds and apply them during bearing in.
Bearing In vs. Bearing Off: The Sequence
The two phases follow each other:
- Middle game → Move checkers around the board, fight for position
- Bearing in → Move all checkers into your home board (points 1–6)
- Bearing off → Remove checkers from the board one by one
You switch from bearing in to bearing off the moment your 15th checker lands in the home board — you can begin bearing off on that same turn or the next.
For a complete guide to the final phase, see backgammon bearing off.
Bearing In When Behind in the Race
If you’re losing the race badly during bearing in, simply completing the phase efficiently is rarely enough. You need to consider:
- Creating shots: Leave controlled blots that might get hit, then use the resulting anchor to launch a back game or holding game
- Gammon threats: If your opponent is also bearing in, can you build a strong enough board to win a gammon if they’re hit?
- Cube decisions: Should you take or drop the cube if offered?
Being behind in bearing in is not necessarily fatal — many games are won by players who were behind at this stage but managed the endgame better. See how to win at backgammon for broader strategic guidance.
Practice Drill: Bearing-In Efficiency
To improve your bearing-in play, practice this drill:
- Set up a position with 6 checkers on your 13-point and 9 checkers scattered on the outer board
- Roll the dice and move into your home board without leaving blots
- After 10 rolls, count your home board distribution — how evenly spread are your checkers?
- Repeat and try to improve your distribution with each practice session
Over time, you will develop an instinct for which point to aim for on each roll, making your bearing-in phase faster and your bearing-off phase much more efficient.
Summary
Bearing in is the bridge between the middle game and the endgame. The key habits to build:
- Spread evenly — fill all six home board points rather than stacking on low points
- Fill gaps — empty points hurt your bearoff, so fill them during bearing in
- Avoid blots — a hit during bearing in is very costly
- Count pips — know your race status before making decisions
- Use the cube — double at the right moment during bearing in
Master these principles and your overall backgammon efficiency will improve measurably. For the next phase, see the complete bearing off guide.