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“Reading every word, slowly studying each diagram and following your analysis was invaluable to strengthening not only my checker play but my understanding of fundamental backgammon.”
Bill Robertie welcomes the opportunity to share his knowledge of backgammon with experienced players and beginners alike.
On his blog, Robertie publishes set and equipment reviews, creates quiz contests and provides free lessons. He would be remiss not to include his Robertie’s Rules! He also educates readers of the Gammon Press blog on the history of the game, offers backgammon instruction and more.
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Cash game, center cube.
Note: All ‘cash game’ problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect. That is, you can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned.
Who is a favorite? And why is this, in fact, a problem?
Cash game, White owns the cube.
White to play 3-2
Problem 176 is an example of a type of position that arises fairly frequently, especially at the tail end of a mutual holding game. Black probably held White’s 5-point for a while, then left either to hit a shot or to create a spare on the midpoint. White scores a lucky hit, and now Black is stuck on the bar against a 5-point board.
Cash game, White owns the cube.
White to play 5-1
In backgammon, much of our thinking revolves around assets. What asset can we acquire with a given roll? What asset do we have to give up? One way to look at backgammon is as a series of decisions regarding the accumulation of assets, and the conversion of one asset into another.
Some assets are quasi-permanent, like inner-board points, or primes. Others are more ephemeral, like a racing lead, which can vanish with a single hit. We tend to prefer permanent assets to temporary assets when we have a choice, although usually we’re happy to get any kind of asset we can.
Cash game, center cube.
Should White double? Should Black take if doubled?
This position is another example of our old friend, the “Action Double”. We’ve seen one of these before, in the blog post of September 1, 2023. Here’s a brief description of the conditions that create a good action double.
