Problem of the Week #6: April 11


Cash game, center cube. Black on roll in an early game situation.




Part (a): Black to play 4-2.

Part (b): Black to play 6-2.

i feel like there is 0 chance i'm right since it seems so obvious, but i would always go

6/4 8/4 for 4-2

i could see a move involving 24/20 being better, but where would me move our 2? 13/11?

for b) i would do 24/18 20/18 which seems too obvious again

a) I like 20/16*, 13/11

b) 24/18, 20/18, although there is something to be said for making the 4

Unlike the previous poster, there is a greater that 0 chance that I am right, but the odds probably still aren't very good

wow i didn't even notice that we could hit on the 16.. i would think the best move has to involve 20/16* due to the sheer pip count gain..

20/16* 13/11 seems decent since there aren't many rolls that white can hit black with having to enter first


and then i guess for 6-2 we could simply go 24/16* but idk i suck

a) I feel like 20/16* has to be part of the answer for the triple whammy of race gain, partially escaping one back checker and slowing down whites development. For the 2 I think 16/14 = 13/11 > 24/22 >> 10/8, so either 16/14 or 13/11, I can't pick between the two.

b) Both 24/18 22/18 and 24/16* are better than 10/4 6/4, I probably go with 24/16* for similar reasons as in a).

20/16* 13/11

10/4 6/4

A) Black to play 4-2.

Making the 20 point looks nice, but by hitting we go from behind to ahead in the race. So I would play 20-16,13-11 to bring down another attacker down as well. White has a good chance of making an anchor coming out or even possibly hitting back but I will take my chance at putting white behind in the race as well as removing one of his attackers.

20-16*,13-11.

B) Black to play 6-2

Again it is a choice between hitting and making a defensive anchor in a situation where the hit changes the lead in the race.

Again I think we must hit here to take the lead in the race. If white hits a return shot on either the 10 or 16, we still have the 5 point slotted to make a possible anchor there.

24-16*.

In both these cases I think making a defensive anchor is playing too passively, we have a chance to take the lead and put white on the defensive here.

A) 24/20, 10/8. With a choice of hitting loose or making white's five point, I'm going to make the play that causes the most long term difficulty for white. It's tempting to hit, but the strategic value of taking an opponent's five point is too much to let slide. It was the objective of playing the previous 4-3 to try and make white's five point, particularly after white has already made the four point on the opening roll. Having decided on this plan leaves a option of 13/11 or 10/8 for the other half of the roll. I may be overly cautious, but I don't want to give white too many ways to hit and wind up playing defense with three back against one back checker since I'm intending to hold the five point for awhile. I'm going to be conservative, safe the open checker, and see what white has to play next.

B) 24/18, 20/18. Given the option of white's bar point or black's four point, I am going to take away white's bar. It isn't as good as holding white's five point, but black doesn't have to fight for control of a point that restricts white's movement any longer. While making an inner board point does catch up to white, it comes at the expense of a highly useful roll for the back checkers. So now it comes down to 24/16* or white's bar point. Hitting does take the lead in the race temporarily, and makes it harder for white to have a coordinated next move. Without one of the key points available, hitting would be the next tactical consideration. It's not nearly as easy to pass up the hit with this roll as opposed to 4-2, but I still think the edge goes to making a key point early in the game.

a) 20/16*/14, the 4 is easy, we are in no danger here, so a defensive anchor is not needed. For the 2, I prefer 16/14. Leaving 4 blots hanging around by 13/11 against white's somewhat developed board is too risky. White probably cannot hit in his next roll, but we have problems covering them too.

b) 24/16*. For the same reason, I dont need the bar point. I think 10/4 6/4 has merits too for a balanced position and a point, but again hitting(and running out) outweights all of them.

so I don't know if anyone will like my moves or not, i've never read a book or taken any advice on how to play backgammon i've taught myself everything I know about the game (aside from my grandpa who has sinced past away who did teach me the majority that i know that i didn't teach myself) anyways looking at that board I would have to say

a)24/20 10/8 I didn't read all the posts but I didn't see anyone put that but to me, you cover up that valuble 20 spot and you set yourself up for doubles to put men in your own end with your 6 spot (and now 8) spot as well, maybe i'm way off but thats what i like and as for part b

b)24/18 and 20/18 from what i read of other posters everyone wants to hit and put the other player on the defensive and get ahead in pips early on but to me thats just it, it's early on why not get yourself doubled up in the 18 hole and than work on hitting him, it's not like you have a good defence set up to be hitting guys (and leaving three of your own open) anyways, he's gonna get out almost every time neways nothing but double 6's would keep him on the bar, anyways double up on 18 and wait for your next shot to hit him cause its early you will easily get another chance, don't worry about the pips yet either, once again still to early

thats just my thoughts hope no one chews them up to badly

I would play
a) 20/16*/14
b)24/18 20/18

Part (a): Black to play 4-2.

24/20 13/11. With three builders aimed at the 20 point making the advanced anchor simply has to be right. Since you have an advanced anchor you can be a little bit daring with the two and bring down a builder from the midpoint. Sure there are quite a few hits but it's no disaster for black since white can't hit and make a point. If not hit black has "most of the deck" to make a decent point next roll.


Part (b): Black to play 6-2.[/QUOTE]

24/18 18/16* Even though blacks board isn't developed hitting helps in the race and the blot on the 16 point provides a useful builder for the outfield. He'll have time to make inside points later.

Making the bar is a viable alternative but it suffers from not helping in the race and black may end up being trapped on the bar. I don't like making the four point. White has too many rolls to hit black inside next move.

~ Rick

As usual i am probably wrong, but by hitting here we actually remove one of his attacking points and he can't make another point without stripping the 17 leaving, at the very least, an indirect shot. I think this combined with the fact that hitting gives us the lead in the race makes it too good to pass up. He can't even do that the next turn unless he comes out with doubles his next roll.

Our opponent has a lead and several rolls are excellent for him to make a strong board. We need to take a good anchor and set up for an offensive chance.

Part (a) 24/20 13/11 We take the valuable 20 point and set up builders to make a better board without leaving a single direct shot. I don't hate hitting the opponent blot @ 16 to bring three of his men back, but just like the future opportunities as I have played it.

Part (b) I like 24/18 20/18 to solidify our position. 10/4 6/4 is not bad as it makes a decent point in our Home Board, but I like my suggestion because it doesn't allow the opponent to take a major lead and we are still in good position with a builder.

Part (a): Black to play 4-2.

My initial reaction was to pass on making our opponent's 5 point and play 20/16* 13/11. But getting that advanced anchor is just too valuable imo. So I like RAC's 24/20 13/11. Make the anchor and create a builder.


Part (b): Black to play 6-2.

For me it's between 24/18 20/18 and 24/18/16*. I'd probably play the latter. I don't think making our 4 point whilst leaving two men with 3/4 builders bearing down is right.

I got it right last week (for a change ) but you make a good point here. I tend to have a weakness of over-stressing development early before hitting and sort of forget about the race. Too often I end up with a good holding game and/or developed prime or inner board but lose because I never get the hit.

BTW, I really enjoy these problems; Bill makes a real effort to provide good ones.

~ Rick

I like 20/16*, 13/11. We hit to go ahead in the race, and develop a builder.

For the 62 I think that 24/18/16* is correct for essentially the same reasons.

This happens with my game too, but the road not taken also leads to being gammoned more often.

In the opening, the primary objective is to establish a key point if possible. If that isn't available, then take a key point away from your opponent. In order to justify hitting loose, one would need to show why it is more imperative to remove the valuable white attacker. Yes there is benefit in taking the lead in the race, but it is a long way from approaching non-contact positions. I need something more like hitting two open blots, or making an inner board point while hitting, to defer me from the primary objective in the opening. Because black can deal with the opposing attacker effectively with an anchor, the need to hit and remove the attacker is less important than it would ordinarily be.

Should you get in blot hitting contests when the opponent has more inner board points than you do? Usually not.

Make the 5 point(and 10/8) in (a); make the bar point in (b). These kinds of plays leave you with solid games, do not induce fatigue, and hopefully will make your opponent think you made a mistake by not hitting.

I found this group of positions by accident -excellent stuff, especially Bill's discussion of problem 5.

For 4-2, I think 24/20,13/11 is the best play. Obtaining opponents 5 point is too important to pass. Hitting opponents blot on 16 is certainly tempting, but not as important as getting the 5 point at this stage. Since we are going for the 5 point, we have to play the 2 and it is going to be either 13/11 or 10/8. 13/11 gives us one more slot and only leaves 3-3, 5-5, 6-4 and 6-5 as possible rolls for opponent to hit one of our blots. Although, our next roll may be trickier due to these blots. I think an argument for 10-8 could very well be made.

For 6-2, I think 24/18, 20/18 is the best play. Again hitting is tempting, but that leaves us open and we have not made any points. 10/4, 6/4 is also an option, but not a great one. That would leave our opponent with many rolls to hit and cover his 5 point or bar point. Both of which are not good for us. The more I think about 10/4, 6/4, the more of a mistake I think that move would be. It seems so obvious that 24/18, 20/18 is right, that I must be missing something.

When I can hit something on my opponents side of the board, I usually need a pretty good reason not to. Gaining 16 pips and taking away half of his next roll is pretty big. Making the bar point anchor (or the 4 point for that matter) is not enough to change my mind here, so for the 6-2 I'm playing 24/16*.

Making the 20 point is a lot better than making the bar point, though (especially when our opponent has already made the 4 point).

I'm a lot less sure here, but I'm gonna hit with 4-2 as well. For the remaining deuce both 13/11, 16/14, 10/8 and 24/22 seem reasonable. I prefer to stay back on the 24 point with the remaining straggler, 13/11 seems a little too loose and 10/8 a bit inflexible, so I'll go with 16/14.

One of my problems with making the anchor here is finding a reasonable deuce to play. 13/11 leaves a ton of flyshots and 10/8 seems a little cramped.

I pick 24/20, 13/11. That gives us some stability in our opponent's board in case we get hit. The times we don't get hit we can start making our board and/or attack blots.

I haven't visited this forum in forever. Glad to see these threads!

I haven't looked through the responses yes, but I'm rusty and have a feeling I might be the only one who plays it this way.

part B, I'd go 24/18/16*.This lets out one checker, getting us ahead in the race, and it's unlikely that our man on white's 5 point is going to get hit and covered. If white rolls poorly, our men are in great shape to consolidate points and gain ground in the race.

This isn't a spot to be hitting loose. Your opponent has a better board and you're opening yourself up to a pretty large number of return shots. If you're crazy enough to do 20/16* 13/11, you've get hit on any 4, 22, 33, 55, and 66 (15 shots), and not only that, you'll then have TWO MORE OUTFIELD BLOTS floating around just waiting to be scooped up. This can't be a good game plan. I would much rather play 24/22 or 16/14 or even 10/8 instead of 13/11.

I say clean it up. 24/20 10/8. Getting hit right now is very bad, and you need to hold your breath and hope to roll well in your next couple chances to make some improvements to your position. Another benefit is that if white fails to clean up his position, you'll be ready to attack because you've cleaned up your mess. You can focus all of your energy on the attack and not have to worry about escaping your back checkers or getting blots to safety.

For part (b), 24/18 is the only choice of the 6 (making the 4 point doesn't even pull even, and gives white the opportunity to pound on your poor little blot on his 5 point). Hitting is very enticing, but I go with the bar point. It's not like you're ready to mount any sort of blitz if you hit, or that you're so good you expect to pick up massive gammons from this play, so I settle down and prepare for the long term.

i think 24-20, 10-8 and its not all that close. Making our opp's 5 point is imperative since opponent has his 4 made. With the 2, 10-8 is definitely the best play.

b) 24-16*