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How to Play the Opening in Backgammon/Part 3 – Order From Chaos
How to Play the Opening in Backgammon/Part 3 – Order from Chaos covers some key opening concepts that weren’t discussed in Books 1 and 2 and sheds some light on some situations that haven’t really been described in the literature at all.
The third chapter, for example, talks about the Outfield. When do you run to the outfield, and when don’t you? But even more important, what do you do when you run to the outfield and don’t get hit? Do you quickly run that blot to safety, or do you recognize that the blot is now as much an asset as a liability, and leave him where he is?
The last chapter discusses doubling in the very early part of the game, in positions which aren’t blitzes. Such doubles not only exist, but are much more common than you might think. The book lays out some examples and rules of thumb for identifying these doubles. And the chapter concludes with some advice for avoiding that most dreaded of opening traps – the horrific Blockhead Blockchain!
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Info: 142 pages, 223 diagrams, softbound
Price: $50 + S/H
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Three Interesting Problems
Here are three problems the early stages of a long match. Try your hand and see how you do.
(A) Match, score 0-0 to 17, center cube.
White to play 3-1.
(B) Match, White leads 1-0 to 17, center cube.
White to play 5-4.
(C) Match, White leads 1-0 to 17, center cube.
Should White double? Should Black take if doubled?
Position (A): This one should have been pretty easy. When you have a 5-prime with a checker trapped behind it and not at the edge, your game plan is to make a 6-prime, and the easiest way to do that is usually to slot the prime from the back, with the idea of covering next turn. White should therefore see this as a pretty good roll and just play 13/9. The play has the added bonus of duplicating Black’s aces, since he now needs ones to hit and ones to get to the edge of the prime.
Hitting with 6/2* is a major blunder. White needs the 3-point or the 9-point to complete a 6-prime, and he only has three checkers that can participate in that fight. Playing 6/2* effectively burns one of those checkers, since the 2-point has no importance yet and White has no need for a tempo hit.
Position (B): A 6-6 on the second roll of the game is usually a great shot, giving White a lead in the race plus a couple of good points. The follow-up, however, can be tricky. With a 5-4 on the next turn, the best play is usually breaking off the anchor with 18/13/18/14. When White doesn’t get hit, he’s got plenty of builders and spares and a good chance of capitalizing on his racing lead.
Attacking with 8/3* 7/3 looks appealing at first glance, but it’s not as strong as you might think. Black has 12 immediate hits (52, 56, 43, 46, 26 and 16) that catch up in the race, plus 5-4 as a great anchoring number. Even when Black doesn’t immediately hit, the game frequently evolves into a holding game where White wants to get off his anchor on the 18-point but can’t.
Position (C): This position is tricky over the board because the solution depends on just how you ‘see’ the situation. If you see this as just a blitz, then it’s clearly not a double. White doesn’t even have a checker in the air and Black just has a 2-point board.
But if you see this through the lens of Joe Sylvester’s Position-Race-Threat matrix, then it looks very different. White leads in the race by 25 pips, 134-159. His position is better, with an extra inner point on his side and a strong anchor on Black’s side. White has threats, with a bunch of numbers to make the 4-point and other numbers that put two checkers in the air. His position is better and it’s threatening to get better still, maybe by a lot. Looked at this way, it’s an easy double and Black has the tough decision. He can take because so far he’s only facing a 2-point board and the threats are not crushing.
Guest Appearances
USBGF Women of Backgammon Federation: Q&A with Bill Robertie
Bill Robertie meets with the USBGF Women of Backgammon group for an informal Q&A session. Founded, and directed by women, the USBGF Women of Backgammon provides support and resources to girls, women, and gender minorities seeking to get involved in the game.
Backgammon Galaxy: Backgammon Podcast #3
In this episode of the Backgammon Podcast, Marc has a deep conversation with the Backgammon legend, author and double world champion Bill Robertie. The conversation includes:
- Bill's career as a player and author.
- The evolution of backgammon theory.
- The difference between backgammon and chess.
- Writing the best-selling poker books "Harrington on Hold'em" series.
- Bill's "new way of thinking" about backgammon philosophy.
The opening rolls are not often at the top of the heap of things to hone as we improve our play. Automatic right? Not so much, Bill Robertie, two-time World Champion, pulls out four, yes, just four, plays to discuss and everyone there found the discussion riveting. One master player said it was a great learning lesson for beginners and for advanced players. So, whatever your level of play, don't miss this. And for those who remember backgammon in the 70's, Bill's anecdote about Paul Magriel is a heart-warmer.
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Backgammon Books
A good book by a backgammon expert can provide game-changing information at a reasonable price which 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.