Forum Archive :
Strategy--Backgames
p0439
24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13
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| X O O | | O O O X |
| O O | | O |
| O | | |
| O | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| X | | X X |
| O O X X | | X X |
| O O O X X | | X X X X |
|_______________________|___|_______________________|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
X needs 8, O needs 8. O owns cube on 2. X to play 6-3.
Thanks to Kit Woolsey, Bill Bohn, Toni Wuersch, and Dick King for
commenting on the above problem. Kit and Bill like making the
bar point, by a lot, over any other play. Toni favors 12/6 11/8.
Dick likes 24/15*.
This came up in a match between me and Mel Leifer at this year's
Beltway Backgammon Club Spring Open. Over the board, I played
24/15*. I only considered that play and making the bar. Now
I like making the bar better, but I'm not 100% convinced yet.
Toni argues for the blot saving play because he doesn't want to
end up with 2 back, which is reasonable, but I think making the
bar point has to be superior to this. After making the bar,
4 numbers hit an outfield blot (5-2, 5-3, 6-2, and 6-3), and after
12/6 11/8, 4 numbers still hit the lone outfield blot (6-5, 6-4,
6-3, and 5-4). Its true that after making the bar you have an
additional blot, but you also have much greater containment.
And although the bar point may eventually become a liability, I
think its for right now its a big asset.
24/15* makes certain that X won't get stuck behind O's blockade
with a series of bad rolls, and practically ensures that O won't
win going forward. On the other hand, it helps O's timing, gives O
a chance to make the 23 point, and forgoes the valuable barpoint.
If anyone locally (I know Mel and Joe Freedman read this newsgroup)
wants to play a short prop on this, I'll take either play and
play it for the educational value.
David Montgomery
monty on FIBS
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Moishe Steigmann writes:
I would posit a different tactic. In this game, X is in a lot of trouble.
So, while O's inside board is still weak, he should be aggresive, with an
8/2* and 24/21. Taking on the 15 is a horrible idea -- you do not want O
to make a three point backgame. Making an anchor on the bar is too late
for this game since O has advanced anchors in X's home board. Worst case,
after taking a the 2, if X gets hit, X has a chance to make his own anchor
O's home board. And, X does not have to fear a double hit (barring
doubles) because O is on the homeboard! Of course, if O fails to enter,
then X also has a terrific shot at landing a second or even third blot in
O's outfield. It's the best chance that X has at winning a game that is
rapidly getting away.
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Strategy--Backgames
- After an early blitz attempt (Daniel Murphy, Apr 1997)
- But they're so much fun! (Laury Chizlett+, Oct 2000)
- Checker problem (David Montgomery+, May 1995)
- Defending against a backgame (KL Gerber+, Jan 2003)
- Defending against a backgame (Michael J. Zehr, Jan 1995)
- How many men back? (Brian Sheppard, July 1997)
- Play for a backgame from the start? (Alan Webb+, Dec 1998)
- What is a backgame? (Daniel Murphy, Apr 2001)
- When to double (David Montgomery, May 1995)
- Which anchor is best? (Kit Woolsey, July 1996)
- Which anchor to break (Brian Sheppard, May 1997)
- Which anchors are best? (sebalotek+, Jan 2012)
- Which anchors are best? (Adam Stocks, Apr 2002)
- Which anchors are best? (Mary Hickey, Mar 2001)
- Which anchors are best? (Jerry Weaver+, Apr 1998)
- Which anchors are best? (Chuck Bower, Jan 1997)
- Which anchors are best? (Marc Gray, Nov 1995)
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