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Cash game, center cube.
Should White double? Should Black take if doubled?
Problem 172 is a position type that we’ve categorized as ‘One Man Back’. White has escaped both his rear checkers, while Black still has one man in White’s home board. Now White is considering a double. What factors go into the evaluation of a double in these positions?
Cash game, center cube.
White to play 4-2.
If you understood the logic behind our last problem, you should have no trouble with this one, although the two positions belong to different categories. Our last problem was what I call a ‘One Man Back’ position, where the issue was to move up in the board and try to get into a race, or stay back and wait for a better chance later. This position belongs in a category I call ‘Split or Something Else’, where one choice is to split the back checkers and go for an anchor, while the other choice is something different, like making an offensive point, bringing down builders, or just waiting. In this case Play A is splitting with 24/20 13/11, while Play B is to wait with 13/7, gobbling up some of White’s timing in the process.
Cash game, center cube.
White to play 4-4.
This position was originally Problem 166, where Black had just danced and the question was whether or not White should double. (The answer was borderline double/no double, and easy take.) Some of the responders asked how White should play a subsequent 4-4, and that did seem like an interesting idea for a problem, so here it is.
Cash game, center cube.
Should White double? If White doubles, what should Black do?
By convention, most cash games use several auxiliary rules beyond the basic rules of backgammon, intended both to speed up the games and increase the stakes in an exciting way. The most common cash game rules are these:
The Jacoby Rule: You can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned. This rule eliminates long, dull games where one side gets a huge early edge and plays for the gammon while leaving the cube in the middle.
Automatic Doubles: If both sides roll the same number to start the game, the cube starts at 2. This rule doubles the stakes in one game out of six. Since weaker players tend to play more cautiously with bigger cubes, this rule strongly favors the better player.
Cash game, White owns the cube.
White to play 6-3.
Checker play in holding games is generally a pretty simple matter. When you’re holding onto an anchor and you’re way behind in the race, you try to follow three rules:
1) Keep your anchor as long as you can.
2) Run off your anchor when the alternative is breaking your board.
3) Run off the anchor if staying raises your gammon chances a lot.
If you’re familiar with these rules, you’ll be able to handle most normal holding game positions well.
Things get trickier when you have a third checker back. The third checker can generate more potential shots; it can also get you gammoned if Black can point on the checker and you get stuck on the bar a long time. This position shows a typical situation: Should White stay to get more shots, or run to eliminate gammon chances?
