Black – Pips 122 (-68)
Black to Play 5-2
A Tactic Against a Back Game
Black – Pips 122 (-68)
Black to Play 5-2
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Black – Pips 122 (-68)
Black to Play 5-2
Playing a Busted Back Game
Black – Pips 186 (+109)
Black to Play 6-2
Pay Now or Pay Later
Black – Pips 79 (-59)
Black to Play 5-1
With the 5-1, Black has just three reasonable plays. Let’s take a look at them.
An Early Blitz
Black – Pips 135 (-44)
Black to Play 6-4
In this game Black launched a blitz after a few moves were made on both sides, and now White is in serious trouble with two men up in the air facing a four-point board with more blots floating around. Black’s 6-4 gives him several excellent options; his job now is not to get too excited, but to just find the most efficient way to bring the game home.
Hit loose or make an anchor?
Black – Pips 168 (=)
A. Black to Play 3-2
In Position A, Black has two choices: he can enter and hit on the 5-point, or he can enter and make the anchor on the 22-point. To hit or not to hit: what’s right?
The 5-point is a strong point. In the abstract, it’s the best point there is, so hitting to make the 5-point later is often a good idea. But making an anchor is a good idea too, and very often correct. If we could only do one of these good things, we’d do it. But here we can do either but not both, so we have to pick and choose.
Playing a Middle Game Blitz
In backgammon, the term ‘blitz’ refers to a position where one side is caught on the bar without an anchor, and the other side is trying to close him out before he can get in and organize his defenses. If the attacking side is successful, the result is often a gammon. If the defender can get in, he’ll usually save the gammon and may quickly take the advantage, especially if his opponent has become overextended. Blitzes are an important class of positions, and the aspiring player needs to understand them well.
Blitz positions fall into three main categories. The first is the familiar early game blitz, where one side (say, White) runs out or splits his back men and Black then throws a double, making a couple of inner points while sending White to the bar. When White dances, we’re in an early blitz situation. Most of these positions are doubles and takes, although there are exceptions, depending on how many builders are available to continue the blitz and how many vulnerable checkers the defender has.
