Not the beginning you wanted, eh? Son, that sure is no way to start any game of backgammon, let alone one in our sessions or chouettes. You must play the game fickle, play it slippery, then pause with cunning. Later on, play it hot and sweaty as summer jailbait. Or launch a sudden attack, a…
gameplan — run until …
Backgammon is about the mixtures of game plans. Black opens with the roll 52s on the dice and splits his backmen then stacks his 8pt. White replies with the roll 36s and bolts her runner blot into the outfield. The running opening for White is slightly better than the standard big split opening because the…
tidbit — saving the gammon
Consider the play of Black's roll 62s late in a backgame. Thoughts over the board. The first question is: Should Black break a backgame anchor now? If not, only deuces are embarrassing for White. But if Black breaks the 23pt anchor, deuces for White are still as dangerous but threes are bad too -- double…
miniature koans !
A barker at the backgammon carnival barks again: miniature koans ! Get your miniature koans over here. Step right up. Plenty for everyone ... Black opens the game with an initial roll of 21s. He slots his golden point and adds a builder. White replies with double 44s. White makes her anchor on top of…
dancing to the edge of Pass
A recent game. Cash game Jacoby rule. White opens with 15s, makes the minor split and brings down a midpoint spare to stack the white outfield point. Black replies with the "natural" roll of 62s. The classic opening play of 62s is used as a reply here to White's minor split. It is no longer…
a fine victory for White
A short cash game with a simple yet interesting game flow. Black opens with 62s and makes the only good play, the big split to the White barpoint and the safest builder in the Black outfield with a midpoint spare -- a natural opening roll for Black that promises violent action. White replies with 14s…
benchmark close take
White opens with the roll 13s and makes her golden home point. Black replies with the roll 32s. Both minor splits are acceptable, either Black 24/21 or 24/22 to split for a better anchor and, to bring down an outfield builder, either Black 13/11 or 13/10. White responds with the joker roll of double 44s,…
miniature 0101010C
Backgammon is a dynamic game. Staring at isolated positions gets pretty dull. Skills then develop out of baby steps, the motion, the flow. And that's where the miniature game enters the picture. Miniature games, often perfectly played, cause swings in equity that rival the volatile disasters from yesterdays gone by. A miniature game becomes a…
the opening spotlight
Every position in backgammon has a spotlight directed somewhere, a moving location on the board where the current action focusses. Black opens with 64s, making the big split 24/18 and bringing down the best builder 13/9 White replies with 16s, pointing on the black checker and thus making White's barpoint. Every position in backgammon has…
a bankroll of its
?? maybe play some backgammon tonight, ten dollars a point say, just a friendly urbane game, with plenty of breaks for story telling or the heroics of late game recubes, rare as hens teeth, to be had either for cash or for a heating up of any short match. ?? of course you may bring…
the baron talks backgammon 