Get The Most Bang For Your Buck
May 2007
by Mike Corbett
A Key mistake made by many backgammon players is the failure to use counter-intuitive thinking to maximize gain.
Unlike the pieces on a chess board, backgammon pieces are boringly uniform and interchangeable. They derive their strategic importance to a large extent from their starting position on the playing surface. While the fifth piece (or checker) on your own 6 point rarely moves more than 6 pips, and that merely in the bear off, the two checkers on the 24 point (or opponent's one point) not only travel the greatest distance, but are the most likely to be trapped or impeded.
The tactical nature of these two checkers, although initially defensive (a secure anchor on th e opponent's 5 point is a temporary goal), evovles frequently as an offensive threat, particularly when one has fallen behind in the racing game.
The following position will hopefully illustrate the importance of the trailing checker in a contact position. White has decisive advantage in agree with this play's correctness, then you have lots of company, including the highly regarded Snowie program, which rates the running play as its choice.
Among the many alternatives to this dependably safe play is 20/15 20/16, isolating the trailing checker. Backgammon is a game wherein risk must be measured against reward to maximize yield and this play emphasizes that choice.
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