Five-Count Part 4.2:
To get a "rough count" even faster

Created by Sho Sengoku, 2001

After you finish a group count, you add one "0" (zero) to the number and divide it by 2. You may take seconds if the group number you have got is odd number and rather big, like 27 or 35. In practice, there are limited number of group count total numbers, since when you need a pip count, it is likely well below 200. If you memorize the results of the "divided by 2" operations for group numbers up to 39 or so, it should cover most practical backgammon positions that you may feel you need to count pips.
Group count - Rough count table
Group count
Rough count
3
15
4
20
5
25
6
30
7
35
8
40
9
45
10
50
11
55
12
60
13
65
14
70
15
75
Group count
Rough count
16
80
17
85
18
90
19
95
20
100
21
105
22
110
23
115
24
120
25
125
26
130
27
135
28
140
Group count
Rough count
29
145
30
150
31
155
32
160
33
165
34
170
35
175
36
180
37
185
38
190
39
195
40
200
41
205
Rough count numbers, which people often take more time to calculate and you should memorize to speed up your count, are in blue cells in the table.
 

Continue on to:   Part 4.3: Common cancellation patterns in an adjustment

 

Sho Sengoku's Five Count

Overview:   Summary of Sho's Pip Count, "Five-Count"
Part 1:   Quick View: Introduction to "Five-Count"
Part 2:   Techniques for Easier and Faster Counting
Part 3:   Practice, Practice, Practice
Part 4:   Even Faster!
Part 4.1:   Common patterns for "10s" in group counting
Part 4.2:   To get a "rough count" even faster
Part 4.3:   Common cancellation patterns in an adjustment

 

See:  Other articles by Sho Sengoku

See:  Other articles on Pip Counting

Return to:  Backgammon Galore : Articles