Position Analysis

Nordic Open Chronicles
13.05.2010
By Robert WachtelMost backgammon players would find it boring to lose every match they play in a tournament, but I like use my setbacks as a source of entertainment. I scribble down the most puzzling positions I am faced with, and later on corral as many experts as I can, presenting the problems to them as a group quiz. “The chronicles,”... Read More...

Hit or Not Positions
14.12.2009
Below are money game positions that exemplify some of the strategy we have talked about in the article about the hitting factors in backgammon. White has played the opening roll of 6-3 splitting a back checker with the 6 and then played a checker down to his 10 point with the 3. Black then rolls a 3-1: Black can hit White on the 7 point with the... Read More...

Backgammon Problems from 2009 Paris Open
29.11.2009
By Robert WachtelHere are a few more problems this year’s French Backgammon Open. While previously, everyone in the group of strong players – except for Falafel – got it wrong, these positions have received the unanimous – and mistaken – consent of this seminar of experts, with most of us meekly following the leader when... Read More...

Should I Stay or Should I go
28.10.2009
By Robert WachtelI’d like to bring you something cute from WSOB Prague. The WSOB format was best two-of-three 7 point matches. I was leading 5 to 2 in the first match of the second round. My opponent doubled me quite early. I had to take, but things went very well for him indeed. I had nothing but a busted ace point game as we reached an ugly... Read More...

Backgammon End Games and Ace Point Antics
30.06.2009
By Robert WachtelBefore backgammon, in my universe, there was chess. I had a talent for the game, and had my successes as a junior. Accustomed to study, I found the transition to backgammon (in my late twenties) easy. Very few players at that time worked at all. There were, of course, a few backgammon books, including Paul Magriel’s Backgammon.... Read More...

Bearing Off—Playing the Odds
28.09.2008
How often have you gotten into a great position against your opponent and just when you think you are about to win a gammon, you leave a shot, get hit, and suddenly you lose the game?  It happens to all of us, often, and that’s one reason why Backgammon is often called “the cruelest game.”   Most of the time when... Read More...

Too Good to Redouble?
22.08.2007
Take a look at the backgammon position below: The Jacoby Rule states that you cannot win a gammon unless the doubling cube has been offered and accepted during the course of a game. This excellent rule, originated by the great bridge and backgammon master Oswald Jacoby, was designed to speed up the game. It stops players who gain an overwhelming... Read More...

Playing backgammon to Win
31.07.2007
What play would you make in the following backgammon position? One of the skills that differentiates strong backgammon players is their ability to calmly take risks at the appropriate moment. Put another way they will often play to win rather than play to lose not too badly.This week’s position graphically illustrates this concept. Black has... Read More...

Simple Ending?
16.07.2007
Backgammon position:  Black has been hoping for a double to clear his mid-point but lady luck has deserted him and now he has to play this unpleasant 43. After discarding the horrendous 13/9, 4/1 there are only two plays: (a) 13/6 and (b) 13/9, 13/10. Surely not too difficult a problem and one that most would get right in live play? Sadly not... Read More...

The Gammon Factor
26.06.2007
Backgammon Position: So far we have looked at doubling decisions without any real discussion of one of the key factors and that is the number of gammons won by the player who doubles. This week’s position is a typical blitz. White has been aggressively attacking black who now finds himself on the bar facing a four-point home board. White doubles.... Read More...

Levels of Complexity
07.06.2007
Backgammon Position: Nobody ever said that backgammon is an easy game. If it was then we would have lost interest in it years ago and moved on to other things. Luckily its complexity keeps us coming back for more and although it can be infuriating it is that very complexity which is the lifeblood of the game.Sometimes apparently simple positions... Read More...

complex world of the back game
24.05.2007
This week we enter the complex world of the back game. As a reminder, the definition of a back game is one where one player holds two or more points in his opponent’s board.The objective of the person playing the back game is to hold both the points in his opponent’s board whilst using his remaining checkers to build a strong home board.... Read More...

simple bear-off
06.05.2007
This week we are going to look at a relatively simple bear-off. In the position; should black double? Should white take if doubled? In bear-offs we can’t use our Race/Threat/Position/Opponent criteria to evaluate positions. We should still factor in the opponent but most of what we know about bear-offs we know through study and the accumulation... Read More...

the complexities of doubling
18.04.2007
 This week we continue to look at the complexities of doubling by studying the position above. Just before we do that we should revisit the fundamental skills needed to play well. These are: Pattern Recognition – backgammon is too complex to analyse each position anew. We have to rely on our knowledge of the game that we have built up... Read More...

Continue to explore doubling
11.04.2007
This week we continue to explore doubling. Black has just hit a lucky shot by playing 24/13* and white has danced. In the backgammon game from which this position was taken black redoubled and white very quickly dropped, outraged at the turn of events. This is the first key lesson: emotion has no place in backgammon. If you start letting your... Read More...

Simple play problem
01.04.2007
 This week we are going to look at a relatively simple play problem but it is one that many would get wrong over the board including this author! How should black play his 64? There are three choices:(a)    20/14, 7/3(b)    7/1*, 7/3(c)    20/10 Before reading take at least a couple of minutes... Read More...

Complex world of doubling
20.03.2007
Backgammon Position: This week we enter the complex world of doubling.  There are four things to consider when doubling:Race. Backgammon is fundamentally a race so whoever is winning the race is normally winning the game. There are obvious exceptions when you have checkers trapped behind an opponent’s prime but the race is a good guide.Position.... Read More...

Do you double?
14.03.2007
Backgammon Position: You are black in the position above. Do you double? If you are white do you take if you are doubled?  Backgammon beginners and many intermediates have a lot of trouble with positions like this. What normally happens is they roll something like 62, played 15/7 and then after white rolls an average number –... Read More...

Classic position
05.03.2007
This is a classic position that no expert would get wrong from either side but which is frequently misplayed in two ways by beginners. Firstly black does not redouble. He sees that he is very likely to leave a shot and worries about that shot being hit and then losing the game. He therefore holds onto the cube and doesn’t redouble until... Read More...

Classic backgammon dilemma
26.02.2007
This is a money game position. The classic backgammon dilemma – to hit or not to hit? The two moves that need to be considered are (a) 20/15*/13 and (b) 13/8, 13/11. How we do go about analysing these two possibilities and then how do we make a decision?First things first. Let’s look at the strengths and weaknesses of the two players... Read More...

A Backgammon Lesson
23.08.2006
The backgammon position below is a great lesson.  White is losing 0-1 in a match to 3 and has to play 5-4. What is the right play? According to Snowie, the right play is clearly to make your opponent’s 5 point and then hit off the ace.  The other logical plays to consider are:  making your opponent’s 5 point and... Read More...

The 5-2 I blew
21.08.2006
 It’s a match to 5 and black holds a 2-cube, and white to play 5-2.  Scroll down for the answer.   Scroll down….The right play is to break the 8-point, leaving a blot on the 8 point! I showed this play to many people at the Ft. Lauderdale tournament, and only Mike Corbett got it right (or right according to Snowie). ... Read More...

Would you expose extra blots against a 4 ½ point board
25.02.2006
Would you expose extra blots against a 4 ½ point board? Match score and considerations: 0-0 to 3, cube in the middle. This is slightly different than for money, but not significantly. Key features of the position: The position is nearly symmetrical, although the blot in White’s board is both a builder to make a 5-point board and... Read More...

Reference Position: Lift or Not
25.02.2006
This backgammon position doesn’t look very hard, but a good player went very wrong at the table. Position summary: 1) Match score: Black leads 4-1 and the cube is on 4. Gammons mean very little to Black. Leading 8-1 Crawford will make him 93.5% to win the match, so the gammon gains 6.5%. However, if he loses the game compared to winning,... Read More...

Actual cube or checker play mistakes
13.02.2006
In this series, we will look at actual cube or checker play mistakes. Readers are invited to submit positions that they had trouble with or felt they didn’t understand. It is nice to understand backgammon theory, but getting the plays right at the table is what counts. We will try to explore what the player who erred was thinking or looking at,... Read More...

Introduction to Reference Positions
13.02.2006
The most important tool of backgammon experts is the "reference position." A reference position is a position that the expert knows the correct action in, and is close enough to positions that actually arise that they can use it in practical play. Let's start with a very simple reference position: This is a pure "3-roll position."... Read More...