Two bear-in positions of interest appear below. The first position occurred in a recent game. Black to play but first Black considers making a Double. Extensive rollouts confirm that the position below is NoDouble/Take by 2mp (or two cents in ten dollars of equity). The position is therefore a reference Double, where waiting or cubing…
a kooky lesson
And now for something a little different. Three backgammon positions appear below. Unlike most backgammon positions found on this website, you are not expected to "solve" anything. Instead, one idea permeates each of the three positions below. Your mission (should you decide to accept it) is to compare these three positions. First, place a qualitative…
an opening gambit
Sometimes in backgammon there is beauty in perfection -- and sometimes not. Bringing two spares down from the midpoint and the other minor split to the 22pt and 10pt are both "acceptable" opening plays, but the chosen split of 24/21 and down of 13/11 is the usual start for an opening roll. When White opens…
another miniature cosmos
Yet another opening sequence with perfect play and hidden decisions. White opens with the roll 14s. White brings down a builder from the midpoint 13/9 and makes the efficient minor split 24/23. Having the opening roll is always positive equity and White plays it correctly here. Black replies with double 66s, a joker roll with…
miniature cosmos
Another brief game that captures a memorable and frequent opening scenario. Black opens with the roll 52s, splitting the runners. A common play. White replies with 24s, making a strong point in the home board. Black rolls a delicious double 22s. A few choices, but only one correct play. With double 22s Black could make…
no laughing matter
In backgammon there is the opening roll, and then there is the opening reply. The fifteen opening rolls allow for twenty-eight "acceptable" initial plays, where acceptable means to within 2 cents on $1 of the best equity choice. Plenty of scope is available for your style or your opponent's confusion. Having the opening roll is…
an obit for a game
This game gets away from Black's control early in the fracas. Perhaps the experience can be adorned by a quick lesson is counting. Black opens with 53s and makes his home board 3pt. White replies with 12s and makes the minor split, bringing down the safest builder from her midpoint. Black rolls 43s and plays…
backgammon study tip – 1
The first in a series of tips to improve at backgammon. View the game as a Taoist flow, a sequential exchange of Yang and Yin. The Dance Sequence. Black hits a white blot loose. White dances. Black turns the doubling cube. A waltz: one, two, three, one, two, three, one ... A waltz: Loose hit.…
a duel with Lady Luck #1
A recent game. Black 31s: Black makes the 5pt. White 23s: White initiates the small split and down, as per usual. Black 51s: the parity brothers The old school builder's guild of attack and blitz with 6/5 is just as respectable as the bot-trained small split of the backmen with 24/23. Both plays finish with…
summer 2023 (1)
New day. A simple opening mistake. White opens with 36s and plays the big split 24/18 then brings down an outfield builder 13/10 Black replies with 42s. Almost all opponent blots in the early opening are best hit, and Black's roll represents a dividing line. Black correctly plays 13/7*, hitting White off the barpoint. White…
the baron talks backgammon 