hey all
i have only read pauls book with the Pip difference doubling strategy. do many people still use this?
i have had a quick look and the only other advice i can find is double whew you think you have an advantage- which GNU and i seem to disagree on majority of the time! lol
thanks for the replies!

The pip difference method is only useful for races and bearoffs, but it works well there.

For more complex positions, start with the problems in these forums. We've gone over a lot of cube positions.

Check out the GNU command "Analyze, Race Theory" to see how the several doubling formulas compare. You can call it up before any move.

In contact positions, there are very few "formulas" to be applied. Its seems that experts have to memorize hundreds of "benchmark" positions, and learn to relate them to any particular game they play. There's no rhyme or reason! Some positions are doubles; others are not. You just have to memorize, or develop a "feel" over many years.

This is rather a messy situation indeed. Backgammon would be a richer game if there were less brute force (and more elegant technique) involved in reaching its upper echalons.

Ultimately, this is why most intermediate players (like me) enjoy working out checker play problems more than doubling problems. Although there's plenty of brute force memorization in improving checker play, it's much less arbitrary, and far easier, than improving doubling strategy.

If you want to be a winner, of course, mastering doubling is probably more important than nitpicking every checker play.

I found robertie's book 501 BG problems to be very helpful in this regard. The 8,9,12 rule is very good for helping with these decisions.