The Turnberry Isle Final
Pasko vs. Motakhasses
Kent Goulding, 1983
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From Backgammon Times, Volume 3, Number 1, Winter/Spring 1983.
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Kent Goulding is a Backgammon Times contributing editor and one of the top players in the country. He has authored a series of annotated games in his two-volume collection, Backgammon with the Champions.
The game below between Jim Pasko and the legendary Kuamar Motakhasses was the fifth in the finals of the Turnberry Isle Championship last October. The entire match, in which Pasko defeats Motakhasses, is recorded and annotated in Goulding's forthcoming issue.
In the 21-point match, Pasko leads 4 to 0.
* * *
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Pasko (White) |
Motakhasses (Black) |
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| 1. |
3-2: 13/11, 13/10 |
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Black to play 3-2.
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I like this play and am surprised that it isn't seen more often. Motakhasses unstacks his two piles of five checkers, at the same time slotting a valuable point and bringing a builder into position. The logic behind the play is much the same as that for playing opening rolls such as 2-1 and 4-1.
| 2. |
6-6: 24/18(2), 13/7(2) |
4-1: 13/12*, 8/4 |
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White to play 5-1.
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Pasko buttons up his blots and challenges Motakhasses to attack him on the twenty point. This isn't a bad play, but considering that he already has three men back and that Motakhasses has a bigger home board, I would try bar/24, 10/5.
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Black to play 4-1.
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| 3. |
. . . |
4-1: 6/5*, 24/20 |
Splitting with the four after hitting looks good. Motakhasses really doesn't gain much by adding a builder (13/9), while splitting gives him an excellent chance to make Pasko's five point at little extra risk (all hit numbers are duplicated, while sixes and fours are still quite bad for Pasko).
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White to play 4-2.
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With no good four to play, Pasko pulls a checker off his highest stack. This is considerably better than slotting the four point.
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White to play 2-1.
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Hitting (18/15*) would be suicide. Pasko would be exposing multiple blots and giving up his valuable defensive anchor.
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Should Black double?
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Kit Woolsey (special assistant annotator for this match) thinks this is a clear double. Motakhasses has a big advantage in every aspect of this game except the race. He holds both five points, has three good home board points compared to his opponent's one, and has a chance to attack Pasko's blot. If he hits and Pasko stays on the bar, he will have lost his market, while no matter what he rolls, he will still have the advantage.
| 5. |
. . . |
1-1: 4/3*(2), 12/10 |
| 6. |
5-2: bar/18 |
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Black to play 6-5.
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| 6. |
. . . |
6-5: 20/14, 13/8 |
Motakhasses sees that if he holds the twenty point and waits, he will be the first to run out of time. Now is the time to make his move, before Pasko can cover his blots and build up his home board. Woolsey doesn't agree. He thinks it's close, but prefers 10/5, 10/4.
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White to play 6-1.
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The race is quite close (Pasko leads 129–132), so there is no need to take big risks by hitting and leaving multiple blots.
| 7. |
. . . |
5-4: 20/11 |
| 8. |
2-2: 18/14*, 7/3 |
5-2: bar/18* |
| 9. |
4-1: bar/21, 8/7* |
3-3: —o— |
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Should White double?
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After a flurry of hits, Motakhasses gets stuck on the bar and is now in trouble. My first impression was that Pasko wasn't close to having a double, but Woolsey has changed my mind. He thinks it's an easy double and has played the position out 36 times to test it. The results: Pasko's side won one backgammon, seven gammons, and ten simple wins, and lost seventeen single games and one gammon for a total of sixteen points in thirty-six games. This, at least, is convincing evidence that Motakhasses should take. One thing that became evident while playing the position out was the huge advantage Pasko gets if he hits the second blot. Considering that Pasko can gain so much on this one roll (while he is not going to be in much trouble no matter what he rolls) and that the cube is still in the center, it looks like Pasko should double.
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Black to play 5-4.
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| 10. |
. . . |
5-4: bar/20, 8/4* |
This is a good roll and hitting is certainly the first play to consider, but I'm not sure it's the correct play to choose. The other play (bar/20, 14/10), leaves only one blot and challenges Pasko to attack on his five point. Unfortunately for Motakhasses, Pasko has only seven numbers which fail to hit. Then, if Motakhasses doesn't hit back, the game will end with Pasko turning the cube. If Pasko fails to hit, or if he hits but is then hit back, Motakhasses will be in pretty good shape. The attacking play (bar/20, 8/4*) will win for Motakhasses instantly if Pasko stays on the bar, but could lead to a nightmare if Pasko enters and hits (23 of 27 enter numbers hit at least one blot, while nine numbers hit two blots). It's a tough choice, but fear of the gammon makes me lean toward the "chicken" play. Woolsey goes the other way. He thinks the prospect of winning the game 25% of the time instantly (when Pasko fans), combined with "life after death" even if he is hit, makes the attacking play the one to choose.
Pasko and Motakhasses are both fond of playing a variation of backgammon they call "bazooki" (actual spelling unknown), in which each player, once per game, can call his own number. It looks like Pasko just used his "bazooki."
| 11. |
. . . |
1-1: bar/24(2), 5/4*(2) |
Motakhasses comes right back and uses his own bazooki! Once again, if Pasko fans, Motakhasses will be home free.
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Should Black double?
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Motakhasses should be able to scoop up enough blots to give him time to free his back checkers and win the game. There is some chance to win a gammon, but Pasko's home board is strong and he has a lasting defensive position on the eighteen point. I would turn the cube. I'm not sure if Pasko should take. Woolsey thinks he should pass.
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Black to play 2-2.
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| 12. |
. . . |
2-2: 20/18*, 8/6, 13/11(2) |
I think this is a very good play. Motakhasses fails to fall into the beginner's trap of hitting every available blot. Instead, he gets off of his mid-point (nullifying much of Pasko's holding power, should he get in quickly from the bar) and brings extra builders to bear on his home board. If he can close his five point, he will have plenty of time to collect all the blots he wants.
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Should Black double?
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Motakhasses now must be worried about winning the game; he certainly isn't refraining from turning the cube to try for a gammon.
| 13. |
. . . |
3-1: 18/15*/14* |
| 14. |
1-1: bar/24(2), 18/17*(2) |
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Unfair! Pasko has already used his bazooki this game.
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Should White double?
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The shoe is on the other foot. Pasko has too many back checkers and too few builders to turn the cube, but that could change quickly if he hits Motakhasses's other blot.
| 15. |
6-2: 17/11*/9 |
4-3: —o— |
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Should White double?
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Pasko should give serious consideration to doubling. He certainly isn't trying for a gammon, so he must not feel his position is good enough to double. I'm not sure if the cube should be accepted (although I suspect it should), so it seems right to offer it. Woolsey thinks it's a double and a take.
| 16. |
1-1: 24/23(2), 9/7 |
4-3: —o— |
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Should White double?
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Pasko has rolled only four pips, but has nonetheless improved his position. The slightly more advanced anchor and the fact that he has slotted his bar point are not without value. We think this is a double, and that Motakhasses can barely justify accepting.
| 17. |
3-2: 23/18 |
5-2: bar/20 |
Pasko did little with his last roll, while Motakhasses has managed to bring one checker in from the roof. Motakhasses now has a clear take. Pasko may not have a double—it's close.
| 18. |
6-4: 17/7 |
5-5: bar/20*, 6/1*, 10/5(2) |
At some point, when I wasn't looking, they must have agreed to two bazookis per player per game!
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Should Black double?
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Now Motakhasses is on the attack. He still has some work to do, though, before he should consider doubling.
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Black to play 5-3.
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| 19. |
. . . |
5-3: 20/17, 20/15 |
Woolsey likes 11/6, 11/8, with the idea of bringing builders for the ace point, unduplicating fours as his best number, and keeping the twenty point in case of emergency.
| 20. |
2-1: bar/24*, 18/16 |
4-3: —o— |
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Should White double?
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This is getting tiring. Nonetheless, it's once again Pasko's turn to be in the driver's seat. Although Motakhasses has filled in his five point since Pasko was last "serving," he also has an extra blot for Pasko to shoot at, and Pasko has built his seven point. I think Pasko should double.
| 21. |
3-3: 16/10*/4 |
4-3: —o— |
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Should White double?
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Pasko has a new problem: he is faced with the possibility of having his blockade crunch before he can escape with his back checkers. Still, with two of his opponent's men in the air and another waiting in the wings, I'd spin the cube.
| 22. |
4-3: 7/4, 7/3 |
4-2: —o— |
So much for the idea of doubling. Pasko now desperately needs to free one of his back checkers. Time has just about run out.
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White to play 2-2.
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Oddly enough, I had the same oversight. Woolsey points out that 6/2, 4/2(2) is far superior to giving up the six point. If he keeps the six point, there is no way Motakhasses could consider turning the cube. However, look at the position after Pasko's play:
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Should Black double?
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Once again our vessel has a new captain. Motakhasses is now in control and it is his turn to think about doubling. Pasko's position has suffered irreparable damage. If Motakhasses can enter from the bar in the next couple of rolls, he should win the game. I think he should double. Many players would pass out of frustration while, even if it's a take, it's no bargain. Woosley agrees.
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White to play 5-2.
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I think waiting on the eighteen point, with the idea of building that point and holding it for defensive purposes, is a bit far-fetched. Pasko's best winning plan is to hit Motakhasses's other blot (or the checkers on the bar, as they enter) and scramble home. Even if he manages to make the eighteen point, if Motakhasses brings all of his checkers in, Pasko will be hard-pressed to accept the cube.
| 24. |
. . . |
3-3: —o— |
| 25. |
4-4: —o— |
6-2: bar/19 |
| 26. |
4-3: 18/11 |
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Should Black double?
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We're not sure this is a take; it must be right for Motakhasses to turn the cube.
| 26. |
. . . |
6-6: bar/13, 17/5 |
| 27. |
5-1: 11/6*, 24/23 |
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Should Black double?
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I think that Motakhasses should double and that Pasko should pass. It looks like Motakhasses doesn't double because he wants to try for a gammon. If so, I think he is being a bit optimistic.
| 27. |
. . . |
5-3: bar/17 |
| 28. |
6-5: 23/12* |
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Should Black double?
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It looks like Motakhasses was, in fact, looking for a gammon last turn. Now, with losing a much more real possibility, he correctly spins the cube. I decided to play this position out, to get a better feel for what is happening, and was quite surprised by the results. I played it out giving Pasko's side the cube, expecting to demonstrate that it was a pass. After thirty-six games, Pasko's side had only lost twenty-six points. This prompted me to try another thirty-six games. Again, Pasko's side only lost twenty-six points! After seventy-two tries, it looks like this is a fairly clear take. I was a little surprised that Motakhasses's side won twenty-eight games, four of which were gammons. I am now confident that Pasko should accept this double.
By our count, without either player making a serious error, the cube could easily have gotten high enough that this would have been the last game of the match. In a money game, the cube might have reached the 128 level! In any event, it was an exciting game.
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