Problem of the Week #56: March 28


Cash game, White owns the cube.




Black to play 4-1.


Note: All ‘cash game’ problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect. That is, you can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned.

No grunch as I am first to post.

9-5*-4*.

I'm a sucker for the 5-point, but man, 9/5 6/5 hits, makes a point, and leaves fewer shots (14 if I can count) than any double hit or naked hit. There's probably far more going on that I realize with the interaction of jacoby, gammons, and timing, but I never claimed to be an expert at this game.

Yeah I cant see much more than just taking the five point here. Think double hit is weaker option as taking the 5 point gives a better chance at making the homeboard up quickly which obviously makes the chances of escape from behind the 5 prime much easier.

The problem says that White owns the cube, but as I'm writing this, the cube is still centered on the board. I'll assume that the cube has indeed been turned and that we therefore need to factor gammon threats in the equation.

Playing 7/2 to safety the blot and let White equalize the game with a 1? No way José! Since we have an advanced anchor, we can afford some risk. I hesitate between 9/5* 6/5 and 9/5*/4*. The former gives a 3-pt board and puts White on the bar. It makes the important 5-pt, but allow White to either hit back (12 shots) or anchor on the 4-pt (7 more shots).

The latter doesn't make another inner point but puts 2 White checkers on the bar, giving 12 return shots. If Whites enters both checkers without hitting, Black would have some blot cleaning to do, but it's also true with the first play. I think I would go with the double hit and try to close/trap White.

9/5*/4*

Have to blitz until hit at least once 9/5*/4*

Hey everybody. Long time bg player and robertie reader thrilled to find such an active backgammon forum. Thanks for the weekly problems bill!
As for this weeks problem I believe the right idea here is to pass up the five point in favor of 9/5*/4* preventing the oponent from anchoring and fighting for our own prime.

Thanks for pointing out the error. The diagram is correct. The cube is in the center. Sorry about that.

id go with 9-5*-4* because building the 5 point makes it easy for oppo to come in, hit us and move around the board. if we double hit we have a shot at hitting blots that enter the board while covering from the outter board and completely boxing the oppo out with both of his blots, giving us time to roll 2 6s to get out.

In problem 56, Black has good racing prospects. He leads in the pip count 134 to 139 -- before he plays this 4-1 -- so he shouldn't be eager to move backward here. The easiest way to lose this game would be for him to get another couple of checkers sent back behind White's five-point block. Safe play deserves serious consideration, and to that end, 7/2 is probably the best of Black's completely safe moves.

Can he do better by taking a risk? He could, for instance, play 9/5*/4* to put two White checkers up. But White would have twelve return shots (any 4, plus 2-2), giving White one chance in three to switch from underdog to favorite on the next roll. That seems like one chance too many.

Another double hit is 8/4*, 6/5*, but this must be worse. With this alternative, Black would offer an immediate double shot. Rolls like 2-2 and 4-4 would become horrible anti-jokers.

What about the somewhat more conservative 9/5*, 6/5? Black would leave no direct shots, so, that's good, but only one White checker would land on the roof. White would have ones, twos and fours to enter. He could hit back with any seven (1-6, 2-5, 4-3), any nine (4-5), or any other roll that enters and gives him a three or five not previously counted (1-3, 2-3, 1-5). Once again, fourteen shots seems like way more than Black need offer.

Finally, Black could try some intermediate play, like 7/6, 13/9, that leaves White only indirect shots (eights and nines) to hit. But what's the point?

My solution: 7/2.

For the Record
I am so often wrong that I like to post my record in these messages. It's kind of a truth-in-advertising thing. I have been answering these problems without the use of a bot, and before checking the excellent solutions of others, since Problem 28. Including the 39a tossup, my record at this writing is 53% correct.
19 Correct: 28a, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 38, 39a, 39b, 42b, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48a, 48b, 50, 52b, 53. 17 Incorrect: 28b, 31, 33a, 33b, 34, 37, 40a, 40b, 41, 42a, 46, 48c, 49, 51, 52a, 54, 55.

Not only are you honest but you are unafraid to stand outside of the crowd.

I hope you are right.

It would make me wrong though.

Thanks for the moral support... it looks like may need it. Of late, I can't even get a pyrric victory. I just get slaughtered!

I don't see where 1-5 is hitting. I count only 12 shots.
Edit: nevermind, I just saw it!

P.S. With the cube still centered, 7-2 has more going for it. I answered thinking that the cube had been turned. Nonetheless, I'll stick with my pick.

I also like Michael DeMichele's arguments. Although, I'm now wondering if making the 5-pt, hoping that White doesn't anchor, then either make the bar point or attack again in order to somehow contain White and force him to break his prime is a good game plan. Looks like there's a lot of "if"s in that plan, but who knows? Also, making the 5-pt would cancel the 5-5 joker...

I returned to playing backgammon last fall after a twenty-plus year layoff. Originally, I was schooled in the Barclay Cooke, lead-with-your-chin camp, so I try to temper my agressiveness today. Back in the eighties, I probably would have gone with the double hit (9/5*/4*) without much thought.

I make the 5 point.

I'm pretty sure I want white's checkers to move. He's front-loaded, and I want to see him dump checkers behind my anchor. I've got outfield control, and so if he's not dumping checkers, he's walking into a direct shot or dismantling his prime. In fact, I would really like to block white's escaping 6s and watch him leave me a shot.

9/5*/4*. Im not really a fan of dumping a checker onto our 2 here, and I prefer this play to making the 5. It leaves less shots and puts an extra white man on the bar.

I'd make the 5 point because those plays have such solid actuarial support, and because when I don't, it seems to blows up on me.

I'd go with 9/5*/4* which makes 12 return shots for white, but I would have to consider Building on the 5 but that leaves 14 return shots (assuming I counted right). I would also consider how my opponent has been playing up to now. if he was soft I might take the 5 and be prepared to switch to a backgame if he gets lucky.