Fundamental principles and strategic goals

It is strategically very advantageous to have an advanced anchor. This is very important goal, when there is still contact. You should try to accomplish this goal as soon as possible. This is consistent with the concept to mobilize your checkers on the 24-point in the early stage of the game. To own an advanced anchor has several considerable advantages:

• Your checkers are closer to home.
• It is much harder for you opponent to build a potent prime to restrain these checkers.
• As long as you keep your anchor in your opponents home board you always have a fine landing place for your men, in case you get hit and must enter from the bar.
• You control the outfield, where the enemy checkers move to the home board, often you will get shots from your anchor.

This is a very simple and obvious principle, that it is unbelievable how many players violate this easy to understand concept. To make things crystal clear: Whenever, after your move, you have a clear advantage in the race, at least 5 pips or more and the game is a simple holding game with each side having a normal checker distribution, it is right to break contact completely and transform the game into a simply race.

In every Backgammon book you can read the term "golden point" or "golden anchor" or "most important point on the board". These terms describe the 5 or 20-point. The golden point is your own 5-point, the golden anchor is the 20-point (the opponents 5-point). These are the most important strategic points on the Backgammon board for several reasons:

• Together with your 6-point, they form the beginning of an effective prime to block the enemy back checkers in your own home board.
• In every blot-hitting-contest you have the best possible prime with two points made (6 and 5-point) against the checkers your opponent must enter from the bar.
• The best possible case, is a 6-prime or a closed board against the enemy checkers. The 5-point is the next best point (together with the 6 point which you already own) to achieve this goal.
• If you have the golden anchor it is much harder for your opponent to build an effective prime against these checkers, compared to the checkers on the 24-point.
• If your opponent makes an advanced anchor in your home board it is always in front of your inner board points, that is strategically advantageous for you.
• Suppose your opponent must enter from the bar and you own the 5 and 6 point, the highest numbers on the dices. If your opponent is not able to come in from the bar (with the numbers 6-6, 5-5 and 6-5), he will waste much more pips (what is bad for the race) on average compared when you have the lower points and he cannot enter from the bar.

The two most vulnerable checkers in the game are those placed on the 24-point. The reason is simple: because these checkers have by far the longest way home and these have to go through the opponents home and outer board, where they can easily be attacked or pointed on. Therefore in the opening it is a fundamental important strategy to mobilize these checkers and bring them to safety as soon as possible.

When you have a bad or a hopeless position you usually should take greater risks (to improve the position) compared to a position where you already have the superior game.

Often you are faced with the alternatives to either hit loose or play safe. Some general guidelines should help you to find the right decision.

A fair share of backgammon positions result in an ace point game, so its worth to take a closer look at these positions. We will analyze three reference positions, in two positions you still have all points made and a very smooth position. In the other position, you already have the six point cleared and smooth position with your remaining checkers.

When you play against an anchor your main goals are:

• minimize shots (including sequences in the future)
• prepare to clear your points
• bear checkers off

Most of the times these goals conflict with each other, so it is always a difficult decision over the board and most of the players have great problems in this area. Many factors decide the right decision and, for example, if your opponent is on the verge of crushing his homeboard in the next one or two rolls it may be right to take greater risks in keeping your prime, because crippling  his homeboard will reduce his winning chances considerably.

When playing online, the house takes a fee (rake) from the winner of the game. So I was wondering if that can change the proper cube decision of some positions. We will look at two simple bear offs, in one position we can offer a double in the other we are offered a double and have to decide if we take.

This is an article from John O'Hagan, who is available for backgammon lessons at the Backgammon Learning Center and member of the US Backgammon Federation.

John has won far too many tournaments to list, and he is currently ranked No. 11 in the World on the Giants list.  He recently took 1st place in the Howard Ring Memorial Quiz, which was a pure test of backgammon knowledge and skill.  John has retired and is now devoting his time to playing and teaching backgammon-he has placed 2nd in the World Championships is currently ranked No. 1 on the U.S. ABT tour.

Below are some rules of thumb that you can use to estimate your takepoints and gammon prices (or values) in a 15-point match.  They are the combination of being simple enough to use OTB and accurate enough to usually lead you to the correct cube action.  They are based on the Rockwell-Kazaross MET.  These rules do not apply to scores where both players are within 5 points of victory (they do however apply to any score where the trailer is 6 or more away even if the leader is 5a or less).  I recommend that players memorize the takepoints and gammon values for these 5a or less scores on their own.  Also, don't use these rules for Crawford or Post-Crawford scores.

Perhaps someone smarter than me can come up with a "one size fits all" formula for takepoints and gammon values.  Something like the takepoint is 25% plus a% if a win by the opponent puts him at Crawford, plus b% if a win by the opponent wins the match with no overage, minus c% if a win by the opponent wins the match with overage, minus d% if a win by me puts me at Crawford, minus e% if a win wins the match with no overage, minus f% if I'm way behind in the match, etc.  Similarly, the gammon price formula could be 50% +/- factors a-f plus factors g and h for one being way ahead or behind in the score.  I haven't been able to come up with a formula like this, but maybe someone can?

Photo by sk 726, CCO license

Board games have captivated people for millennia, acting as an idyllic form of leisure for many cultures. Whether it is scrabble, backgammon or any of the other thousands of games out there, people to this day continue to occupy their time with these simple, fun activities.

But one question that constantly arises is which popular game came first, chess or checkers? They look the same, right? In fact, they both share a closely-connected history. Chess and checkers have traveled through many continents over many centuries to find their way to their current forms.

Even though they look the same, they operate very differently. For those of you who haven’t played either, in checkers, all the game pieces move in the same way. In chess, you move each piece differently, based on its ability. 

So, let us outline the brief and fascinating history of both. The game of draughts (better known as checkers) dates back to the almighty age of 3000 B.C. when the game was first mentioned by Homer in his legendary work The Odyssey, and it was even referenced in Plato’s early writings.

The earliest physical evidence of the game dates back to an archeological dig, where remnants of the game were found in an Iraqi city called Ur. Along the way, a modern version arose around the 12^th century when a Frenchman decided to take the chessboard and use it for draughts. This is how the 64-space format came to be what it is today, known as the “short king” board version. Today, other countries like Canada and China embrace something called the “long king” version, with up to 144 spaces. Celebrated figures who have put their hands to the black, red, or white pieces include Napoleon, Edgar Allen Poe and General Ulysses S. Grant.

“But what about chess?” you may ask.

Although some scholars argue that its origins stem from China, chess finds its most ancient form in India, of all places, where it is thought to have originated via a game called Chaturanga in the 6th century A.D. It eventually spread to Persia, where the game found the new name Shatranj. Over time, it spread to Southern Europe in the 15th century, where it found its modern form and a new nickname as well—Shah. But it wasn’t until the 19^th century when it cemented its European name, chess, while gaining traction in Germany and England due to the emergence of large tournaments and the onset of computers. A survey found that, as of 2012, 605 million adults played chess regularly across the world, making it one of the world’s most popular pastimes. Some of the chess world’s most famous proponents include actors Charlie Chaplin & Humphrey Bogart, scientist Albert Einstein and even the French grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who broadened the game's horizon by mixing it up it with other activities.

So, there you have it: Checkers (also known as draughts) and chess both share an ancient history. Who would have known that checkers predates chess by almost 3,5000 years? Who would have guessed that checkers was name-checked by Plato and Homer? But if it hadn’t been for a smart French gentleman in the 12^th century twisting the fate of both games together, we wouldn’t have the game of checkers as we know it today at all.

If you haven’t heard of this game before, then worry not as you are not the only one. To enlighten you about the game, we have created this detailed guide which includes all the basics about backgammon. Without wasting much time, let’s jump straight into the basics.

What is Backgammon?

Backgammon is a strategy game which is played by two players. As a strategy game, it means players need to have a certain degree of skill in order to play the game. In addition to skill, luck is also needed when playing backgammon hence in essence, we can say the game has elements of both chance based games and skills based games.

Where the Game is played

Backgammon is a board game. The game is played on a board that has 24 triangles (the triangles are technically called points when playing the game). These triangles come in different colours and they are grouped in four sets of six triangles each. The four sets are divided by an open space in the middle of the board known as the bar.

How to Play the Game

The four sets of six triangles are equally divided between the two players. The first two sets are referred to as the home board or outer board. The other two sets are referred to as the opponent’s home board or the opponent’s outer board.

To start the game, players have to line up their checkers on their respective boards. Each player is given 15 checkers. Of these fifteen, the player has to place two checkers on the twenty-four point (point marked on the board), five checkers of the thirteen point, and three checkers on the eight-point and the other five of the player’s six point.

Before the game starts, the players also have to ensure that they have their dice, a dice cup and a doubling cube (whose face values range from 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64).

When playing the game, one player will have to move his checkers in a clockwise direction while the other player has to move his checkers in the opposite direction. The number of steps that a player moves his checkers is determined by the roll of the dice. The player can only move his checkers to a point that is not already occupied by the opponent’s checkers. When it comes to rolling the dice (player rolls the dice twice at once), the player may add the total value of the dice rolls (suppose one dice roll returned 2 and the other 5, the player will add the two to get a total of 7) and thereby move his checkers for a number of steps that correspond with the total of the two dice rolls. At the same time, the player may choose not to add the total of the two dice rolls, rather, he will move one checker two points and the other checker 5 points.

Gaming has become a rampant trend worldwide, and it has no boundaries as both adults and children participate. Most people play games for fun, especially after having a long day schedule. This is because games enhance relaxation and break the boredom more so during your downtime.

Recent technological advancements have led to the development of online games where one can experience the thrill by facing real-time online players. In this article, we have compiled a list of games that help you pass your free time while having unprecedented fun.

Online Casino Games

This broad selection in the gaming world encompasses poker, blackjack, baccarat, craps, live dealer, and other options. You can play for fun as well as make extra bucks. Some casino games and platforms offer exciting bonuses and promotions that can boost your wallet as you have fun. For instance, the Big Six Wheel is a fun game, while some platforms offer promotional spins that can give you a head start to minting.

Games such as poker and other card games are also exciting as you can also play with other players worldwide. All that is required is choosing your favorite casino game and platform and have fun.

Games of Throne Winter is Coming

This is a fun, authentic, and challenging video game based on the prominent TV show Games of Thrones. It mainly focuses on kingdom building and incorporates other interesting gameplay components such as RPG 3D battles. Its exquisite graphics put you in the likeliness of the TV show.

It is a progressive game where you gain skills as you battle for the Iron Throne. You are required to build a strong army by running the castle, unleashing new technologies, recruiting new troops. This creates an illusion of the Game of Thrones show which is ideal for managing downtime.

Eudemons

It is an epic fantasy story game that has an exciting multiplayer mode. The game has five powerful classes: vampire, mage, paladin, necromancer, and berserker, and every character has distinct weapons and skills. The more you play, the higher the chances of unleashing new weapons and skills. You can also outweigh other monsters and manifest your command in other magical lands.

In-game trading equipment can make you richer. You can also experience fun by defeating monsters and making money. Players can also participate in real-time duels such as single-player PvPs, multiplayer fights, family, and legion wars.

Forge of Empires

In this game, you build your own city and flashback the stone age experiences all the way to the contemporary era. You can also explore new technologies and boost your empire with strategic campaigns and skills. Participating in single-player campaigns can escalate your progress until you completely conquer the continent.

You can also research and create advanced battle units, products, and mind-blowing buildings. More fun comes in when you develop your empire by financing using tax money. You can face the wrath of battles via the computer or other real-time players.

Bottom Line

Games have become an inevitable part of our lifestyle and can be imperative in killing time. Some like casino games give players a chance to make extra money. There are claims that games are also vital for mental health. During your downtime, you can choose any of the above-discussed games and have fun.