Backgammon Learning

Learning

Beginners' mistakes

From:   Alan Webb
Address:   vsg-isg@t-online.de
Date:   3 November 1999
Subject:   Top 5 beginner blunders
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   7vpmag$bu2$1@news00.btx.dtag.de

I, and no doubt, many of you have noticed that beginners and novices all tend to make the same mistakes over and over again. My perception of the top 5 errors are as follows... 1. Running from the rear when behind in a race. 2. Candlestick making (stacking checkers on few points and general inflexible play) 3. Relinquishing key points to early. (5 point) 4. Doubling decisions how to evaluate a position etc. 5. Understanding safe vs bold play. Alan Webb Webby's Backgammon Site www.isg-vsg.de/backgammon/BGHome.htm

Art Grater writes:

I would add duplication and diversification as a special case of #2.

Dan Hollis writes:

"When ahead in the race, race. When behind in the race, don't race". This is an idea that a beginner can both understand and apply. I find that novices don't fight hard enough to avoid an ace point game. It seems unintuitive to split up to the 4 or 5 point and just leave the checker there - especially if it leaves a blot in your own outfield. Much more common is to run that split checker with the full roll. They seem to do this regardless of who's ahead. So, my #1 is "Don't play a racing game when you're behind". I'd make your #1 a corollary to this - just point out that clearing the rear points first is leading into a racing game. I bet once a novice understands this, he'll naturally start splitting up to the 4 or 5 point, and playing for contact. I don't think that novices are afraid of leaving a checker there; it's more of what to do with the other half of the roll that confuses them.

Donald Kahn writes:

Certainly no dispute about these, nor any of the amendments suggested by other posters. But remembering my own beginner days, the overriding lack was *game plan*, in other words "how am I most likely to win this game?" Win the race? Hit a shot? Run a blitz? Build a prime? And then playing the rolls accordingly. Another lack, and not just among beginners, is an understanding of the weakness of the two back chackers, isolated by 11 pips from the rest of your formation. That is why the concensus is solid for mobilizing them before opponent's home board improves. I only began to understand this when I got Woolsey's Matchqiz five years ago. And I was playing in Championship events! (Never in the money of course, and as a matter of fact very seldom in the money since.) But at least now, in every game, I know what I am trying to do. This is comforting.

Julian Hayward writes:

Forgetting to cash games that are way past the takepoint. Blot terror - refusing to hit (especially twice) or make critical points because doing so requires leaving several blots oneself.

Bill Hill writes:

When I think about blunders it's really the most costly ones that I'm concerned with, so here are a few that I think are quite important: 1) Filling holes instead of bearing-off men. 2) Hitting men just because you can. 3) Bearing-off incorrectly against opposition, either an anchor or on the bar. 4) Playing ultra-safe, especially in the opening. 5) Not Minimizing shots when it would be dangerous to be hit.

Walt Swan writes:

a) Trying to win game twice. In other words taking big risks for small gains when game has been won. (Your #5) b) Switching home board point just to Keep hitting. c) Not playing doubles 4 moves individually. d) Real beginners, not noticing a shot hits ( in other words moving legally), I rolled 6,3. My (24 point) man perhaps can hit that man way out there (on 15 point) Lets see hop hop hop hop hop... darn it one hop shot. e) Giving up midpoint. f) Hitting on wrong side of board. g) Coming under the gun.

Vince Mounts writes:

There a few tournaments at the MSN Zone that run everyday and I like to enter now and again. I would guess the Zone consists of 80-90% very weak players(at least thetourneys do) so I have had ample opportunity to play (and yes, be beat by :( ) these types of players. The things I see them doing which perhaps could be easily explained/improved are.... Checker Play ------------ 1) They tend to play way too safe in the opening few moves. Perhaps this could be extended to the entire game, however, the middle game choices are perhaps not beginner type choices so lets stick with the opening. Seeing 13/8 for an opening 4-1 or 3-2 is very very common. To correct this problem the beginner needs to understand a) The blot leaving plays allow you to make points(either offensive or defensive) a lot easier on the next roll. Perhaps a list of the new rolls that make a point compared to the opps roll that point on them would make this clear. Also, an understanding of which points are best as discussed below can help to see that the split men aren't in any real danger. b)An undertanding that an early hit when no board exists is not so bad. This gives plenty of rolls to anchor up and being behind already gives the "freedom" to be aggressive in the future. 2) Beginners don't understand which points are the important ones!!!! This takes many forms and is the biggest error IMHO. Assume you have split with a 2-3 on the first roll. Now you roll 6-1.Beginners make the bar. They don't understand that the 5 point is better. The 5 is the opps best anchor and making it takes it from them. It is better because it covers the outfield better and best minimizes gammon chances. So thats why you should make it(to take it from your opp). Also, an inner point is better due to making you opponent dance more often. Plus it i s hard to make the 5 point once the the bar is made due to stripped points. Usually making the 5 point leaves more builders and therefore more flexibility for making future points. Beginners love to hit on the ace point early. A hit is hit and a point is a point right? Why leave more shots going for a different point. Plus they think,,, "hey if he misses a blot on the one then he gets no second chance even if I cant cover... Not true of a blot on the say 5 or 4 point". They fail to see that the one point isn't helping anything. It can never block the opponent in, thus giving him a better chance to escape(beginners have no concept of priming aS i touch on later). With less checkers in play it will be harder to get home yourself because you will have less places to land and less pieces to make places to land. The same usually applies on the other side of the board. The beginners make little if any effort to make an advanced anchor. They sit back on the 1 point and wait for the 6-X roll that allows them to run for home. They don't understand that advancing lets them escape easier and covers the outfield to hit the opp and stop the opp from easily building up a blockade. Also, note that is a direct consequence of number 1 above and their own belief that hitting on the low points is somehow good. If beginners followed a rule that the points 5, 7, 4 (in roughly this order, with 4 and 7 being very close especially with other points in hand) are the best I think they could hardly go wrong often. 3) Running when behind. This is one I don't see as much as some suggest in this thread but important none-the-less. The reason for not seeing it is basically because of number 1. They are too afraid to run. However, get a huge lead and leave a bunch of blots in your home(behind them) and they run. You are leaving the blots to be flexible and improve distib for your huge race lead. You don't even care if you get a hit but can't use it. But the beginner sees this as a good chance to get "out of dodge". Needless to say they are often suprised once you let them "escape" and turn the cube on your 20+ pip lead. This is due to their conception of the game as mostly luck. They don't understand the odds of rolling the 6-6 they now need to win. 4) Breaking anchor way to early in holding game. They don't understand that since you are holding too and have a good anchor that you don't mind attacking the remaining checker. In fact, at times it seems they think of the coming attack as to their advantage (the over-safe play rearing its head again). This again is because they don't understand that with your loose hit they are the underdog to hit back(if a single shot). They just see it as a chance to hit a checker regardless of the actual odds. This can be a tough one to explain. Especially if they have just finally understood that playing safe early is not always best. They key here is that it isn't early anymore. The extra home board points that can make them dance make their safe instincts correct now. Again this is not as prevalent as some of the others due to over-safe play in general but every now and again the beginner decides to play "craps" instead of backgammon when the game gets close. 5) Beginners have no concept of a priming game (I know I sure didn't when I started) This is in a way part of understanding the importance of each point. After all, Priming/blocking is why those points are better. In fact, perhaps this is not a new blunder but just part of the others. 5) Stacking too many on high points in preparation for bearoff. I see this often. We are racing. I am filling in holes for the future bearoff. Perhaps with a 2 I play 6/4 instead of 8/6. I have even heard comments on this a couple times. They don't understand. Surely they will get in quicker and therefore win right? Obviously this is not correct. It is ok to leave another outside and fill the hole. Yes they may start a roll before I do taking men off.By my last man comes off a roll or so sooner. Cube Play --------- This needs to be kept simple. Lots of cube concepts are advanced. 1) 2 away- 3+away cubes. Lots of beginners don't understand what to do after accepting a 2 away cube. If they choose to take it they should re-whip to 4. Many times I have offered a double and the beginner takes. I think to myself. Hmmm,,, well with the re-whip maybe it is a take. Or even ,,, oh shoot,,,with the re-whip I just screwed up. But the cube never comes back making my double a clear drop (i.e. if they couldn't rewhip it would be a clear drop). I don't think this is because they plan to hold it until winning (and it definitley doesn't come back when they get a "shot" to win). In fact beginners very rarely offer 4 cubes (too scared to play for that kind of stake). This is a big big cube error of beginners. The corollary is also true. Because of the rewhip to 4 a 2away double is often offered way too soon. I have won quite a few matches by taking a boarderline money drop and turning the cube to 4 next turn. A rule of thumb here is that, unlike the the situations discussed below, leading the match and at 2 away dont cube until its a drop. This is not really true but is a good beginner rule. This is what I did when starting out once I learned about the 2away scores. Just play until the drop is clear. 2) 2away- 2away cubes Beginners almost always wait until this one is a drop. Now the 80% winning chance they attained is reduced to 70% match chances. They don't understand that at this score it is absolutly imperative to get a take. 3) Post-crawford cubes I saw one of these today. 1away pc - 4 away. A tough battle ensued but no cube (note: the battle was occuring mostly due to me knowing the cube wasn't coming and if it did I had a free drop. Otherwise I wouldn't have been playing quite as loose.) This one I don't get. Nothing to lose here so they should go for it. What I'm not sure of is if they are trying to cube me out later on or if they think losing 6-1/5 is worse than 5-1/5. Either way the mandatory cube should be easy to explain on the "nothing to lose" reasoning. 4) Doubling too late. (before anyone gets 2away) Just when you think the beginner has decided to play on for the gammon here comes the cube for an easy drop. Not understanding the game enough the beginner wants to make sure you don't take the cube. They should understand that getting takes in the long run gives you more points (2 is more than 1 lol). I think the only way to learn this is to start doubling earlier than you _think_ you should and see what happens. See how often you get cubed out. This is the only way to learn this one. Also, perhaps point out that when lots of rolls make you way ahead you should make your opp "pay" to see if you get one of the few bad ones. Proper actions in matches they are losing goes along with this. It is easy to demonstrate that when losing the cubes should come even earlier. Reasoning similar to the "nothing to lose" line above should show this. 5) Accepting gammonish cubes. One on the bar. 3 point board for the opp. Double or triple shot at a second blot. They take it every time. I think what is happening here is they are looking at winning chances. Some gammonish cubes are maybe only in the 50-60% win range. The beginner knows they have ok chances to win and ignore the 4 point losses as a result. Again, this one is tough to teach except by example and experience. And indeed I have found that experience does teach this one quickly if they see it enough. They may play like a complete beginner in the rest of the game but understand a drop due to gammons. A good sequence to see this one is. 1)6-2: 24/18 13/11 - 5-5: 6/1*(2) 8/3(2) 2) 6-1 Dance - Double/drop.... lots of shots at the second blot and brings builder into place. 6) Accepted cubes when primed This is perhaps a little like above, but above I mean more of a blitz than a prime. They just don't see how hard it is to escape say a 5 prime. A good rule here "might" be that if you have 2 men behind a 5 prime and dont own 4 or 5 blocking points of your own it is probably a drop. (unless of course the opps timing sucks but this is bit advanced,,, i'd guess this rule wouldn't go wrong often). If you have one man behind a 5 prime,,, again you probably need at least 4 blocks or that your opp has a lot of men to bring home still. This one is tougher to make a rule for but still dropping when behind a 5 prime cant be far from right very often. These "rules" of course assume that you aren't already at the prime's edge.

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