Quote:
Originally Posted by gammonize
When it comes to major backgammon tournaments or cash games (live, not online), and a difficult decision comes up, what is an average amount of time for the player to think the position through without the opponent feeling he is stalling.
I've noticed in many published backgammon problems, the pip count plays an integral role in the correct decision. During live games, do you figure out the pip counts of you and your opponent before every challenging move or cube decision? Is it acceptable to keep notes of the pip count (or any other information for that matter) on a sheet of paper? How much math do you actually do at the table compared to some of the deeply analyzed published problems?
Thank you for your time...
Being able to do a quick, accurate pip count at the table is a key skill. You need to develop a method and then practice until it's second nature. Here are a couple of good shortcuts.
Certain formations occur over and over again and should just be memorized. For instance,
Three checkers each on the 4, 5, and 6-points = 45 pips.
A 5-prime from your 4-point to your 8-point = 60 pips.
5 checkers on your midpoint = 65 pips.
2 checkers back on your opponent's 5-point = 40 pips.
Knowing things like that can speed the process a lot. Your goal should be to count both sides, accurately, in under 30 seconds.
A lot of games eventually turn into a race or a bearoff where the pip count is essential to making a good doubling decision. But there are lots of contact position where a racing lead can tip the decision from no double to double or vice versa. And there are plenty of holding game positions where knwoing the race will tell whether to break an anchor or not.
