Backgammon Strategy--Backgames

Strategy--Backgames

Which anchor is best?

From:   Kit Woolsey
Address:   kwoolsey@netcom.com
Date:   14 July 1996
Subject:   Re: unclear move 4
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   kwoolseyDuJrAo.Bw8@netcom.com

robert lawrence wrote: > from a fibs match on sat, jly 13. > score o = 2, x = 0, to 5, co=2. > > . . . . . . . . . . . . > o x x x x x o x o > o x x x x x o x o > x x > x > > > o o o o > o o o o o > . . . . . . . . . . . . > > o to play 11. > whats the move? I think I remember having this position, and I played 24/23(2), 13/11. There are several reasons to move the anchor up. 1) Having your points closer together generally makes it more difficult for your opponent to clear his outfield points safely. In this position, suppose you stay back and your opponent manages to make the two point. Then he will be able to clear the eight point if he rolls two numbers which don't contain a four. If you come up to the two point, he will have to roll two numbers which don't contain a four or a six in order to clear the eight point safely. 2) Getting off the ace point forces your opponent to play all his numbers. Suppose you stay back, and your opponent successfully clears his eight point so all his checkers are on the bar point or inside. Now, he doesn't have to play any sixes, which will slow him down. If your timing for the back game is shaky, which it obviously is here, then this stall may cause you to crunch or give up one of the anchors before he is forced to leave a shot clearing the bar point. 3) Hanging back on the ace point is more likely to get you gammoned or backgammoned if things go badly. If you move up to the two point what usually happens is that your opponent is forced to dump several checkers behind you on the ace point in order to play safely. When this happens it is safer for you to hold your back anchor or stay back with one checker in order to get a last ditch shot and still be able to scramble off the gammon because these checkers on the ace point have to be taken off before he gammons you. If you are on his ace point, waiting until the very end involves severe gammon or backgammon risks. The main advantage in staying back on the ace point is that it will tend to give you more shots later in the bearoff, particularly if your opponent is unable to fill in the two point. This is significant, and under different circumstances (better timing, gammons not counting, opponent having such a ragged position that he is unlikely to make the two point) it might well be correct to stay back. In the actual position, however, the arguments for moving up are more persuasive to me. Kit

Did you find the information in this article useful?

Do you have any comments you'd like to add?