Grant's Puzzles - Backgammon Position of the Week

 How should White play 54 here: It is always disappointing to miss when you have a double shot at a blot. But there is nothing you can do about that; you missed so you need to focus on finding the best play. The safe play is 6/1 6/2: But this is just too safe. You need to hit a blot as you are so far behind in the race, and when you hit that blot you need a board that has no blots in it. This move changes your board from a 4 point board to a 3 point board with a blot. You could minimise the chances that your opponent will hit you by playing 18/13 18/14: But to win, you need to hit and to hit you really want to maximise contact. This move does the opposite and minimises contact. You need to be aware that Black’s board has 2 open points. That means if you are hit, with one checker you will enter on 20 numbers or 56% of the time. Consider 13/8 13/9: This move retains your 18 point, which is back far enough that it will take many rolls for Black to get their 2 checkers on their...

 How should White play 62 here:  You have the stronger board, so you consider the boldest play of 13/7 6/2*: Black will hit you from the bar with 44, 22, 64, 63, 54, 52, 43, 42, 41 and 31 – 18 rolls or 50% of the time. You will also be leaving 4 blots around the board. This move is just too big. You consider the completely safe play of 13/7 9/7: The issue with this play is that Black has complete freedom to do whatever they want to do. They can make inner board points, which they should easily be able to do as they have spare builders on their 6, 7 and 8 points. They can escape their back checker with any 6 or 5. Note how well diversified their rolls are. All this move does is gives Black the initiative. You will be ahead in the race by 15 pips after the roll, so you consider 23/21 9/3: This move does safety the blot on your 9 point, but now you have a blot on Blacks 4 point, which they would very much like to make. They have spares on their 8, 7 and 6 points, so they can ...

How should White play 43 here: You consider the hitting play of 13/ 8/5*: “If in doubt, hit” is a good saying, but here you should have doubt. Black has the stronger board with 2 more inner board points then you. Black will hit you with any 5, as well as 41, 32 and 42. That is 17 rolls or 47% of the time. That is just too many hits. You would really like to make your 21 point anchor, so you consider the splitting play of 24/21 13/9: This move does duplicate Black’s 4s, but you have moved your back checker to a point that Black would like to make and created another blot on your 9 point. You now have 3 blots around the board and a weaker board than black. Next you consider the completely safe play of 13/6: This is completely safe, and leaves no blots for Black to hit, but it also does nothing to improve your position. You are prepared to take a moderate risk to improve your position. Consider 8/4 7/4: This move improves your board and starts to make it harder for Black to escape. ...

 How should White play 53 here: You are very relieved to have hit Black’s checker on their 9 point. But you need to slow down and make sure you make the best play. The obvious play here is 24/16*: This leaves your back checkers connected, so that if Black hits the blot on their 9 point, you will have return 5s and 6s to hit from the bar. While this is good, in order to win this game, you are going to need to build a strong board, and at the moment you only have 7 checkers in the zone. Your priority after hitting is to improve your board. You cannot directly improve your board this roll, but you need to bring another checker into the zone while Black is on the bar. Consider 21/16* 13/10: You will still have good 6s from the bar to hit back if you are hit on your 16 point, except if you roll 66. You have a much better chance of making your 7 or 5 points. This is actually the correct move. This move also has one minor advantage in that if Black rolls 22 from the bar, with the firs...

 How should White play 55 here: This was from a match between two very good players, where one of the players made the natural move of 18/3 7/2: This reduces your blot count to only one blot, and duplicates Black’s hitting and covering 2s. The problem with this play; is that even if Black misses you, it still will not be easy to get your remaining checkers to safety. Black’s inner board blot allows you to make a much bolder play, 18/8 13/8(2): This leaves 2 blots and allows Black to hit you with any 2 or any 3. But the big advantage is, it will be much easier to tidy up this position if you are hit. That advantage and the fact that Black has an inner board blot makes this the correct play. To show the importance of that inner board blot, let’s create a variant where blacks inner board blot is covered and now Black has a 4 point board: Now narrowly, the one blot variation is marginally better. However, this is so close that over the board I would still play 18/8 13/8(2), because...

 How should White play 61 here: Your position is terrible, but you have finally rolled a number that gives you the chance to turn the game around. You could make the relatively safe play of 12/11* 9/3: To quote a friend “that move just hurts my eyes”. Your 3 point has 2 extra checkers on it that can only be used to make the 2 or 1 points. Black will easily enter with 32 rolls or 89% of the time. This move creates 3 ugly stacks, and gives you an inflexible position. Consider 8/2* 3/2: This move has the advantage of making a new inner board point, and bringing the semi dead checker on your 3 point back to life. The problem with this move is that Black enters from the bar with 27 rolls or 75% of the time, hitting you with 51, 41, 11 and 54 – 7 rolls. Consider the double hitting play of 12/11* 3/2*: Black hits from the bar with any 2 and 11 – 12 rolls or 33% of the time. But with 2 checkers on the bar, and a 2 point board, Black will only enter both checkers less than 50% of ...

 How should White play 33 here: You have 11 checkers in the attack zone on your side of the board. You consider the blitzing play of 8/2*(2): The advantage of the blitzing play; is that if you succeed in closing black out, you will have a good chance of winning a gammon because Black’s checkers are so far from their home board. The problem with this play, is that if Black enters on the 4 point, you will be forced to attack, hitting loose if necessary. This may seem like a good thing, but if you have to do a loose hit, you could be sent back many pips. If Black anchors on the 1 point, then you are stripped and will not have much flexibility because you have TMP – Too Many Points. When you have TMP, your position is brittle, and you will be forced to leave blots with many of your rolls. The other blitzing play that you consider is 8/2* 7/4(2): The advantage of the blitzing play , is that if you succeed in closing black out, you will have a good chance of winning a gammon because...