Backgammon strategies

Beyond the basics of backgammon

Congratulations - you've learned the basics of backgammon - board set up, pieces, players, beginning strategies and concepts. Research and reading have increased your awareness. Going to clubs and tournaments have sharpened your techniques. You've improved your confidence, skills and etiquette. You're no longer playing at the 'awful' level.

In order to advance to that next level - intermediate - you must continue to do exactly what you've done! There is no, apparent, end to the offline information and resources you can get your hands on to better your game. Knowing the basic rules and game types, you're prepared to delve into the principles of diversification and duplication, the strength of the 5-point, when to play 'safe,' when to play 'risk,' when to split your back pieces and when not to split.

Beyond the basic concepts, ideas and strategic principles are such elements as the four most common game types:

* attacking game
* holding game
* priming game
* running game

Learning and playing these fundamental concepts, reinforcing these concepts in offline tournaments, refines your abilities to put them into practice.

In addition, you've a lot to continue to learn about the doubling cube, an essential component to top-level play. The last 'element' added to the modern backgammon play in the late 1920's, the doubling cube adds an extra 'twist' and risk to the integral gambling of backgammon, exponentially increasing the betting odds.

Whether for money or for match, playing as much face-to-face backgammon, with stakes as much as you can afford, with players that include some who are more advanced than you is irreplaceable.

Research and reading is good. Lessons are fine. Tournaments are enjoyable.
However, there's no substitute for long sessions of backgammon when you care about the outcome - money or match - playing across a real table. You develop a feel for the varieties of situations that can arise. Only in this kind of play will the concepts you've read about in books take hold.

Additional recommendations to advance from 'awful' to intermediate are, in no particular order:

* Play friends and players in a club - play for money stakes - it hones your game.

* Set up positions on your board, roll them out - a 'rollout' is making a board position and playing both sides until the outcome is clear. Do this as much as you can stand it. It will teach you a great deal about the value of a position.

* If you're mathematical, learn two-dice probabilities - i.e. how many rolls hit a blot xxx points away, entering against an xxx-point home board, etc.

* Keep in mind that match play and money play are very different 'animals.' Learn why and how that is true.

* Take backgammon lessons, after you've read some books, articles, research.

* Play good players.

Don't lose faith and don't forget the fun of offline backgammon play. The best players will either give you hints and advice; or, will give you lessons (an option if you want to pay them). Become more aware of where you're 'going wrong' and why - you'll know what you were thinking when you made a choice. There is a plethora of information and endless possibilities to move you from 'awful' to intermediate.

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