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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.”
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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. White on roll. White to play 5-3.
Many backgammon problems boil down to a simple question: hit, or don’t hit. In essence, backgammon is a pretty simple game. In general, you want to make points, and in general, you want to hit.
Cash game, center cube. White on roll.
(a) Should White double?
(b) If doubled, should Black take, drop, or beaver?
Early game doubles cover a wide variety of positions, but in general they can be spotted by analyzing three key aspects of the game: race, position, and threats. Many years ago, Joe Sylvester (a very great player in the 80s and 90s, now somewhat inactive) coined a simple rule: if you’re ahead in two out of three of these aspects, you have a double. Your opponent may or may not have a take. Let’s evaluate these three features of Problem 12 and see what they tell us.
Cash game, center cube. Black to play 6-1.
This position is somewhat unusual. We have a roughly balanced middle game in which both sides have moderately strong home boards. Black has only one man back, and as a result White trails in the pip count by 15 pips (136 to 121).
White’s roll, 6-1, is awkward since he has no great six. Moving off the midpoint leaves a shot. Moving off the 24-point creates two blots and breaks his defensive anchor. The only sensible play that involves moving from the 7-point or 8-point is the loose hit, 8/1*, which doesn’t accomplish much. Nonetheless, White does have to pick one choice from this unappetizing situation.
Cash game, center cube, White on roll.
Part (a): White to play 4-3.
Part (b): White to play 5-1.
Both sides have anchors on the opposing 3-points, and both sides have established a few points in front of the enemy anchor. I like to call these ‘Block versus Block’ positions, to distinguish them from the better-known ‘Prime versus Prime’ positions.
