Position 409

 How should White play 52 here:

You are in a really bad way here, but you need to not panic, and make the move that will win the most.

Years ago, Oswald Jacoby wrote “the mark of a good player is how he plays his bad rolls”. This is such a position.

You could just play the safe move of 6/1 5/3:

This does leave no blots, but your long-term prospects are bad. You have TMP (Two Many Points), and a semi dead checker on your 3 point.

You have to take a risk to have any chance of winning. You consider only leaving 2 blots by playing 13/6:

This minimises your risk, but if you are not hit, your prospects of improving your situation are not that good. They have improved but not by much.

If you’re going to take a risk, consider 13/8 6/4:

This leaves 3 blots, but if you are missed you should be able to improve your board.

If you are hit, especially if Black only hits 1 blot, you will have a good chance of anchoring or improving your board.

I find the key to these types of positions is to look for duplication. 13/8 6/4 duplicates Black’s 2s and 3s which are great for improving their inner board. Over the board in a tournament, I simply look for the duplication and make the play that maximises the duplication. This will not always be correct, but it is usually not far from being the best move.





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Position 405

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  How should White play 42 here: “if in doubt hit” is a common saying in backgammon, so you consider 8/6 8/4*: The problem with this play is that you leave 3 blots around the board and invite a blot hitting contest where Black has the stronger board. You will be hit with any 4 as well as 53, 33, 31 and 11. That is 17 rolls or 47% of time. How about hitting and lifting with 8/4*/2: Although you are hit with far fewer shots from the bar by Black, the game has a long way to go so you do not want to create a semi dead checker on your 2 point. And you will still have 3 blots around the board. You are behind in the race, but do you really want to hit? Consider tidying up some blots and minimising shots by playing 17/13 9/7: You will be behind in the race by 17 pips after the roll, but you leave only one blot. Black has two blots around the board and will need to do something about them, especially the blot on your 4 point. You will have 3 builders aimed at the blot on your 4 point if the...
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Position 400

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 How should White play 43 here: 43 was not the roll that you were hoping for, but it was the roll that you got, so you need to work out the best way to play it. Years ago, I remember reading in a backgammon book that “anyone can play the good rolls, but the mark of a good player is that they play the bad rolls well”. You could just minimise shots and blots by playing 13/6: Unfortunately, this move gives up all outfield control. Eventually you will have to run your checkers on your 24 point into the outfield, and this will be dangerous to do if Black has spread their checkers out in the outfield. You consider splitting a checker off your 24 point with 24/21 7/3: This move leaves 5 blots around the board. Every quadrant has a blot on it. While it is good to not have 3 checkers on your 24 point, this move is just too dangerous. This is the correct move at DMP (Double Match point) where Gammons won or lost do not matter. Consider 8/5 7/3: This move minimises the number of blots t...
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