Can someone explain the concept of blitz play?
Phil Shulkind
Header says it all really. I've seen a couple of mentions of this
recently, but I don't know much about it other than that Jellyfish seems
to do this to me and win quite a lot. So, what situations merit the use
of it, and what does one do to try and stop it?
Phil Shulkind
PHILDEE ENTERPRISES
Professional Play By Mail since 1990
*NEW* web site : http://www.phildee.demon.co.uk
Fredrik Dahl
Phil Shulkind wrote:
>
> Header says it all really. I've seen a couple of mentions of this
> recently, but I don't know much about it other than that Jellyfish seems
> to do this to me and win quite a lot. So, what situations merit the use
> of it, and what does one do to try and stop it?
>
A blitz is a postion where one side is caught on the bar without an
anchor, and his opponent rushes to close him out. A successful blitz
will normally win a gammon or BG. Once 'committed to the blitz' the
attacker should not care much about the 'purity' of his position. This
means that deep points are as good as high points in his board. Deep
points may even be better because the holes in his board will then be
high and easier to reach with his following echelons of attackers. The
attacker should often hit in his board even if this leaves direct shots
from the bar (hitting loose), because it will be a major disaster if the
defender anchors.
Blitzes are often quite easy to play for the attacker, but sometimes he
must choose between hitting loose, making points, hitting in the
outfield or jumping over the opponents prime if he has one. The key
strategic decision will often be if you should start the blitz in the
first place, and whether or not you're 'committed to it', which means
that you've put your checkers in positions that are useless for anything
but blitzing.
Once the blitz is on there's not much the defender can do but hope for
good rolls. He can of course defend against the blitz before it starts
by keeping an anchor and leaving few blots. But other things are
important too in backgammon, so you're supposed to be blitzed every now
and again. As an example it's perfectly ok to play an opening 52: 13/8
24/22, even if this means he will blitz you with a 55: 6/1*(2) 8/3*(2).
If you then stay out with both checkers, he will double you in a
moneygame, and you'll have a close pass.
--
- Fredrik Dahl
Al Bundy
>When the smoke
> clears, you've got 4 checkers on the bar, TD has a closed board and I swear
> that I could hear it softly chuckling in binary.
Time to check back into the hospital and get more therapy.
--
Al Bundy