Slotting to make a key point and splitting your back checkers are two tactical ideas that dominate early-game play when more obvious choices like hitting blots and making points aren’t available. The 1970s and 1980s were the heyday of slotting. The preferred method of winning a game was to build an imposing prime (often by slotting points, then covering) and follow it with a crushing double. The older method, taking the points you were given and looking for a chance to escape your back checkers, was seen as antiquated and wimpy, a game plan only suited for geezers playing in the park.
Backgammon Books
A practical way to become a winner at backgammon is to glean instruction from the best players. Some of the backgammon world’s highest awards have written books to assist players both novice and advanced.
A good book by a backgammon expert can provide game-changing information at a reasonable price which players (and would-be players) can absorb at their own pace. The Gammon Press store stocks essential reads by Bill Robertie and Kit Woolsey, along with the works of Bob Wachtel, Peter Bell and others. If you want to improve your backgammon game, this is the place to start.
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Using Benchmark Positions
A key idea in understanding the proper use of the doubling cube on a practical level is that of the “benchmark” position. A benchmark cube situation is a position where one of the decisions (doubling or taking) is a toss-up, while the other is completely clear. Properly understanding a benchmark position is very useful since it unlocks the key to many related positions. Just compare your actual position to the benchmark, spot what the relevant differences, and you should be able to make a good cube decision over the board.
Making the 5-Point
Here are two early game positions where Black has not much and White has an inner point and some pressure.
Run or Anchor?
In Position 2, Black has a 6-2 to play. What’s the right idea here?
Black – Pips 160
Black to Play 6-2
Early game … which point to make?
How to Play Backgammon Chouettes – Part 2
Last time we talked about the history of backgammon chouettes and why they’re so popular. We also looked at three common situations that occur in chouettes and how they should be handled.
This time we’ll finish the discussion of chouette variations, and I’ll make some more recommendations about how chouettes should be structured and what rules work well in practice.
