| Last month, we discussed the Cube (doubling cube) and reviewed its history and importance in the game. Without the Cube, Backgammon can be a very dreary and frustrating exercise in throwing dice and hoping for Lady Luck to save the day! A winning position can collapse to a barrage of doubles or combination rolls by your opponent. I have had six-point Primes or inner boards with five points covered succumb to bad dice. After you learn about the Cube, you will not play competitively without it. Most Tournaments require the use of the Cube, and you will be lost if you are not familiar with its application.
Accepting a Double
Let's look at a very basic position, a bearing off endgame:
<------ Dark pieces move this way
Light pieces move this way -----à
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
<------ Light pieces move this way
Dark pieces move this way -----à
Your opponent with the light pieces has a single checker on the 22nd point, and another single checker on the 24th point. You have two checkers on your 1 point, ready to bear off. However, it is his turn, and the Cube is in the center of the board. All of a sudden, he grabs it, and offers a Double. Do you accept? Let’s check it out.
We know that any roll will win for your side. However, we must measure the opponent's prospects. His only bad roll is 2 - 1. All other numbers work just fine. (Of course any double wins!) We must decline his double, as the opponent has a 35 / 36 chance of winning, a rather crushing advantage. (There are 36 possible rolls, and 35 of them will take care of business.)
Suppose he had a two checkers on the 23 point, and we are still doubled up on the 1 point. Now the bad rolls for him are anything with a 1, excluding double 1's. This adds up to 10 / 36, which puts our side at a 26 - 10 disadvantage. However, we would accept this double, because we would gain 20 points for the ten times that he would roll the combinations with a 1 (other than doubles), and we would lose 36 points if we declined the double in this position. I know this gets complicated, but it becomes easier to understand as you acquire more experience. Watch out for players who try to "steal" a game from you in basic end positions. For example, suppose your opponent had single checkers on 19 and 22 points, or single checkers on the 20 and 23 points, while you had two checkers on the 1 or 2 points. He offers a double. Take it! This really bad double and you have a clear edge. (Work out the combinations for both sides).
Timing: When to Accept a Double
Knowing when to double is essential to becoming an accomplished player. If you have a very strong position, and you wait to double, your opponent will bail out and you will win only one point. If you own the Cube, you are in the driver's seat; if the Cube is in the center of the board, leave it there! On the other hand, if you have a marginal advantage and try to double too early, your opponent will usually accept, hoping to make a comeback with lucky rolls. I prefer to offer a double when I have approximately a two thirds chance (66% or 67% of winning. Some players prefer to be in 70% range.). Remember, we are dealing with dice, here, and those "critters" can be very finicky.
There are three factors to consider before reaching for the Cube:
1. Pip count. If this is "running" game, how big is my lead? Take a minute or two to count the pips. (This was covered in the last column).
2. Position. Do I have a four or five point blocking Prime? Does my opponent have
checkers that are trapped deep in my inner board? Is his inner board weak, with only a few points covered?
3. Threats. Will one or two key rolls create a scenario which will make my position overwhelming?
The score of the Match must also be considered, as well as the potential for the opponent to come back, should he accept the double.
Do not double if you have a winning position with the chance of a Gammon or a Backgammon. The opponent will drop like a stone, and will be thrilled to escape for only a one point loss. Do not double if you have a clearly superior position. And do not double if you are losing badly, especially, if you are playing "Beavers". The opponent will accept the Cube and flip it over to the next highest number, while retaining ownership. This can be a very cruel game, and you must be ready to accept a loss when the dice become sour.
See you in July! | |
