Backgammon Strategy--Backgames

Strategy--Backgames

Defending against a backgame

From:   Michael J. Zehr
Address:   tada@ATHENA.MIT.EDU
Date:   8 January 1995
Subject:   Re: Defensing the Backgame.
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   3eprbt$125@senator-bedfellow.MIT.EDU

> Lately I have been in a losing streak where I can't seem to manage to > win no matter what, but, I have noticed that back games have been beating > me almost every time I play against one. > > It seems my opponents have been very capable of keeping excellent timing > every time they go into a backgame. I have no idea what to do about this. > I try to play slower, but it doesn't seem to help. What should I do? Backgames themselves are pretty complicated, and likewise the defense against them is pretty complicated. Are you losing to deep multi-point backgames, like a 1-2-3 backgame? Or to a more common games like a 1-2, 1-3, or 2-3? Or a split backgame, like a 1-7, 1-5, etc? Whether or not you should be hitting more checkers depends on a lot of factors. Generally, hitting more checkers gives you more gammons and backgammons in exchange for a few extra losses. If you only have 2 points to go in the match and the cube is already turned, you might not want to hit more... but if you're way behind, the gammons and BGs might be of extra value. Keep in mind that "a point cleared is a point not to be feared." Though you usually want to "clear from the rear and don't ask questions," sometimes you want to clear a point that's in direct range of your opponent's points (like the 7pt) while you still have outfield checkers or points. You're more interested in blocking points that have spares on them than you are in blocking ponts that don't have spares. (Generally, you want your opponent to have to give up one or more of the anchors as you're ready to start bearing off... on the other hand, you don't want your opponent to be able to recirculate checkers. If the cube's been turned already, a backgame is going to be a long game, so you want to take extra care not to bury checkers and put them out of play. Maybe you're doing all these things and just getting unlucky. Once in a 7pt match I lost 3 doubled games when my opponent had ace point games, and I don't think I was doing anything really wrong -- it just happened that way. Without seeing a position or a game I can't give any specific advice. Hopefully if any of my generalities are wrong, one of the better players here will correct them. (Hi Kit, Walter, et al! *grin*) Of course, knowing when to apply the general rule and when to break it is important too.... -michael j zehr

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