- October 31, 2023
It looks as if there isn’t much between the various plays but there is.
The weakest play is 13/10, 13/8 which leaves a blot, an unwieldy structure and doesn’t improve Red’s position.
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Each week, author Chris Bray lends his sharp insight and easy-to-understand analysis to help you improve your game.
Chris is the author of multiple backgammon books, including Backgammon for Dummies, and is the backgammon columnist for The Times of London.
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- October 24, 2023
The clue here is White’s stripped 8-pt. It cannot be allowed to contribute to the battle without paying a penalty. Therefore, the two must be played bar/23. His rules out bar/24, 13/11
- October 17, 2023
White has eleven checkers in the zone so Red would dearly like to have an anchor. Red is also behind in the race so a racing play is not indicated.
The running play 23/16 is superficially
- October 10, 2023
I hope everybody used two of the fives to hit 13/3*. Not hitting is a massive blunder despite the lack of cover numbers. Two on the bar, better by far.
The key is how to play the other two
- October 3, 2023
It is just too easy to play on automatic here and hit with 11/2* but should Red be priming or blitzing?
The blitz play leaves only one cover number, a six. Even if the 2-pt is made White can
- September 26, 2023
In positions like this whoever blinks first tends to be at a disadvantage. If Blue runs a rear checker with 22/13 White will attack the remaining rear checker with gusto.
Blue should
- September 12, 2023
This position was meant to be easy, but it didn’t turn out that way.
It should be obvious that 18/10 is not the right idea. Blue won’t be favourite to get a shot next turn and he is way behind
- September 6, 2023
This position came up in a teaching session. After a group discussion 8/3 was chosen as the move to be played.
Hitting on the 10-pt was correctly deemed to be too loose while makes the