Miscellaneous

Forum Archive : Miscellaneous

 
Free lesson

From:   Donald Kahn
Address:   donaldk@easynet.co.uk
Date:   11 April 1999
Subject:   .Free lesson
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   37107dc2.586039@news.newsguy.com

Following are some notes I made during a lesson with one of the
world's best.  They cost me, and I pass them along as a gift.

dk


If being hit 11/36 means being gammoned, and you are not a favorite if
missed, it is a marginal take.

2A 3A.  You should play on for a gammon where you would cash
otherwise.

3 points in front of a double anchor is a pass.  Should cash it.

Be liberal with doubles in tournaments.  You will get passes, and if
taken, they don't redouble efficiently.

With one man back, attack and run.  Don't try to play pure.

4A 8A. You can double if you have gammon chances..

Don't overprotect a lead.  Europeans do this.

4A your initial double is normal.

2A against many away, play as if you own the cube.

Take policy at 2A. Cube is dead and you can't win a gammon, so it is
more conservative than normal.  25%
if there are no gammons against you.

When can you double at 2A4A?  Never if there is any gammon chance.
Wait for near 84%, his take point.

5 pieces on the 3 point is a favorite to save gammon.

Aggressive unstacking is the way to avoid gammons.

2A 3A.  You can double, if no gammon possibility, at 75%, his take
point.

3A 2A, fast double fast pass.

4A 2A, double early only on gammon threats.  Otherwise you can wait,
because opp, has a low take point.

If a squeeze looks likely, break the anchor while he has a blot.

Avoid races when the cube is gone.  Hit where you might not otherwise.

Leading 4A 5A don't get gammoned holding the cube.  Turn it to 4.

When opp is on the bar against your 4 or 5 point board, take the play
you would if you knew he would fan.

Split early to avoid gammons.

Against an opening 6-5, 3-3 should make 5 and 3 points.

Given a choice of hitting a 2nd piece or making an inner point, make
the point.

8 pieces off and 1 closed out, your have 50%.  10 off, you have 75%.
11 off, double and pass.

5 off, 1 closed out is a pass. 6 off is a take.

Opp has 13 off, 2 closed out, you have 33%
12 off, 25%
11 off, pass his double.

Be happy to miss your market with a small pass.

Don't bury checkers against a back game.  Extras in the home are
wasted.  Against a 1-3 backgame, slot the 2 point and don't cover it.
Hope that he hits it, so you can recycle it and make the 9 point.
Then the backgame goes broke.  Don't be in a hurry to double a back
game.  It is a low volatility situation.

If you are 5A 3A and take the cube, you can recube when you get to
50%.  Actually your window opens at 37½%.

When playing on, given a choice, play safest.  Don't get beaten by a
fly shot.

In a long game, if you can make the 15 or 16 point, do it.

3A 6A is a good score for the leader.  If the trailer takes and
recubes and wins, leader still has 40%.

4A is a tricky score. You can take pretty much as for money.  The
trailer has to figure on passing or recubing.

When going for a closeout after a hit in the bearoff, if you have to
close to win, slot the 4 5 or 6 points.

1-3 and 2-3 backgames are improved by being hit.  Not so 1-4.  This
usually degeneratees into an ace point game.

At 5A 5A redouble early.

If the 4 point is open, a 3-5 backgame is better than a
4-5.
 
Did you find the information in this article useful?          

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

 

Miscellaneous

Backgammon computers  (Graham Bayne+, Mar 2005) 
Backgammon in famous paintings  (Dan Scoones, Mar 2000) 
Backgammon versus poker  (Peter Hallberg, June 2006) 
Backgammon's popularity  (Anon+, Sept 2003) 
Board orientation  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 1999) 
Calculation versus instinct  (Kit Woolsey, Jan 1998) 
Checker play versus cube play  (Gregg Cattanach, Oct 2004) 
Checker play versus cube play  (David Montgomery, Jan 1998)  [Recommended reading]
Copying positions from books  (Stick+, Nov 2005) 
Famous people who play  (Carem Wiklicm+, Dec 2002) 
Free lesson  (Donald Kahn, Apr 1999) 
General tips  (Hank Youngerman, Aug 1998) 
Giants of Backgammon list  (Raccoon+, Mar 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Handicapping  (Kees van den Doel+, Aug 2003) 
Handicapping  (flash, Aug 1998) 
Handicapping--Pass or pick a roll  (Michael J. Zehr, Dec 1997) 
Handicapping--Rerolling 5-4  (Mary Hickey, Feb 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
How bots rate you  (Phil Simborg, Mar 2010) 
Initiatives by local clubs  (Raccoon, Mar 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Is online gambling legal in the U.S.?  (Chuck Bower+, June 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Maximizing earnings  (Stanley E. Richards+, Oct 2005)  [GammOnLine forum]
Money management  (Carly Robson+, Jan 2009) 
Money management  (Gnoh Mon+, July 2004) 
Money management  (Adam Stocks, Jan 2003) 
Money management and the Kelly Criterion  (Stuart Thomson+, June 1999)  [Long message]
Notation  (Dean Gay, Feb 2000) 
Notation  (Kit Woolsey, July 1995) 
Position cards  (Francois Hochede, Jan 2004) 
Posted diagrams are scrunched up  (Dale+, Sept 2000) 
Top women players  (Tami+, Nov 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Typesetting backgammon  (Jason Lee+, Apr 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is Zbot?  (Douglas Zare+, Dec 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is backgammon?  (David C. Oshel, Aug 1997) 
Why do people play for money?  (Hank Youngerman+, Sept 2005) 
World Champions  (John Bazigos, June 1994) 
rec.games.backgammon mini-FAQ  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 1998)  [Recommended reading]

[GammOnLine forum]  From GammOnLine       [Long message]  Long message       [Recommended reading]  Recommended reading       [Recent addition]  Recent addition
 

  Book Suggestions
Books
Cheating
Chouettes
Computer Dice
Cube Handling
Cube Handling in Races
Equipment
Etiquette
Extreme Gammon
Fun and frustration
GNU Backgammon
History
Jellyfish
Learning
Luck versus Skill
Magazines & E-zines
Match Archives
Match Equities
Match Play
Match Play at 2-away/2-away
Miscellaneous
Opening Rolls
Pip Counting
Play Sites
Probability and Statistics
Programming
Propositions
Puzzles
Ratings
Rollouts
Rules
Rulings
Snowie
Software
Source Code
Strategy--Backgames
Strategy--Bearing Off
Strategy--Checker play
Terminology
Theory
Tournaments
Uncategorized
Variations

 

Return to:  Backgammon Galore : Forum Archive Main Page