GOOD OPENING MOVES  
The first step towards winning in backgammon is a wise opening. That is way your goal even in the opening move must be to block the points with at least two checkers, thus preventing your opponent from advancing. The secondary goal must be to advance the checkers that are furthest away from your home board as early as possible - else there is a risk of your opponent blocking those checkers.

Below are some good opening moves for the white player:

In the examples where the opening move is a double, it is understood that the opponent has already made his opening move, as it is not possible to open a game with a double.

6+6
Two sixes allow you to move four times six pips. This is one of the best opening moves there is. If you move the two checkers from point one in black's home board to the opponent's bar-point (point number seven), followed by two checkers from point number 12 in black's outer board to the bar-point in your own outer board (point number seven) you have succeeded in blocking a point in your opponent's outer board as well as one in your own outer board. In combination with the points already blocked in white's boards (points number six and eight) this restricts your opponent's chances of moving the two black checkers on point number one in white's home board.

6+5
If you roll a six and a five, a good move could be to move one checker from point number one in black's home board, touch down on the bar-point (point number seven) and then continue to point number 12 in black's outer board. As can be seen, this leaves a blot in black's home board, point number one, but more importantly, you have secured the checker on the outer point in black's outer board. With the other checkers on point number 12, you are blocking your opponent.

6+4
If you roll a six and a four, you are forced two leave two blots, no matter what you do. The best thing to do is to advance one checker from point number one in black's home board, touch down on the bar-point in black's outer board, and continue to point number 11 in black's outer board. This does open up for your opponent to hit two blots immediately, but hopefully those checkers will soon be able to enter again.

6+1
If you roll a six and a one in your first roll, you can move one checker from point number 12 in black's outer board and one from point number eight in your own outer board to the bar-point (point number seven). This will block your opponent over three points. It is often more important to block a point than to hit one of your opponent's checkers.

5+3
A five and a three is a good first roll. You can block the third point in your own home board by advancing one checker five pips from point number eight and move one checker three pips from point number six in the white home board. This way, the blockade of point number three and the other two blocks constitute a good obstacle for the last two black checkers in white's home board.

5+1
If you roll a five and a one you should move one checker from point number 12 in black's outer board to point number eight in your own outer board, and then move one checker from point number one in black's home board one pip to point number two. As you can see, this creates two blots that your opponent can hit. But it is not certain that your opponent will hit those checkers, as there is a risk of his own checkers, who are already in a good position, being knocked off in your next roll.

4+2
If you roll a four and a two, you are in a good position. One checker on point number eight in your outer board and one on point number six in your home board are moved to point number four in your home board. The purpose of this is to make it difficult for your opponent to move out his two checkers from point number one in white's home board.

3+1
Rolling a three and a one can give you a new block. One checker from point number eight in your own outer board and one checker from point number six are moved to point number five in your own home board

1+1
Two ones is the best first roll. You move two checkers from point number eight in white's outer board to point number seven (the bar-point), followed by moving two checkers from point number six in white's home board to point number five. It will be very difficult for your opponent to move past those four blocked points.