- April 19, 2022
Put the checkers where you want them. Two of the aces must be used to make Red’s 5-pt. They could then continue on to make the 4-pt instead but that is a much weaker structure than the 5-pt.
Bray's Learning Curve
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.
A New Puzzle Every Week
Every Monday Chris posts an interesting backgammon position on our Facebook page. We encourage you to join in the lively discussion and return here to our website on Tuesdays to read his extended analysis.
Bray’s Learning Curve in-depth analysis is one of the great benefits of a USBGF membership.
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- April 12, 2022
After playing this 55 Red will still trail by 80 pips. To play a well-timed 1-2 back game you need to trail by approximately 94 pips (the value in pips of your two anchors). That means Red
- April 5, 2022
This one is not easy. The ‘natural’ move is to play 8/4(2), 6/2(2) but that position is very stiff with every point bar one stripped.
In this instance connectivity
- March 28, 2022
Red can play this dice roll completely safely by moving 5/3, 5/2 or he can take some risk with either 5/off or 3/off, 2/off.
It should be clear that 3/off, 2/off is much better than 5/off.
- March 22, 2022
Over the board 14/8 was played but this is the wrong idea in this position. It is safe for the moment but leaves Red with three inflexible stacks of checkers and he is very unlikely to be
- March 15, 2022
If you don’t see a move, you can’t play it!
I had this position in an online match and it didn’t take me long to find 15/12*, 9/3*, 6/3. Two checkers on the bar and a three-point home board.
- March 8, 2022
The match score has a huge influence on back game redoubling decisions.
