practice
Marcus Brooks
>
>
>I saw a nice quote a few days ago, I forget who said it
>but quote is something like ,
>
>it is not practice which makes perfect but perfect practice which
>makes perfect
>
>
>Suppose i wish to devote n hours a day to practicing backgammon
>What would be a good plan?
>
>Also a question for the pros, Is there a set practice/ study plan
>you follow?
>
>thanks, bob koca
>ko...@bobrae.bd.psu.edu
>bobk on FIBS
>
>
I'm not a pro, but I can tell you the best practice is to watch, watch,
watch. When you watch you will see plays that you have never seen
before, and add to your knowledge of the game as a whole, whether the
play made was better or worse than the play you would have made. More
importantly, when you see different plays you will start to wonder, why
did my opponent do that? Some of the most marvelous moves I have ever
seen I have off-handedly rejected until I viewed the position in a
different light. Often this can only be done while watching a match as
you are impartial to the results of the match and not clouded by the
emotions of playing a match for whatever stakes be it money or rating
points. Remember: If you can't *see* all the plays to begin with,
then how can you pick the best one? And when you watch matches, you
will see new plays every time. Each time you see a new play, the
better you will become.
Good players always have a reason behind their moves, whether it be to
run, leave the least shots, threaten a blitz and a gammon, or play for
timing. Learn your opponent's strategies and you will be well equiped
to defeat them. One of the most satisfying moments in backgammon is
when you can predict your opponent's play regardless of the move you
would have made.
So watch two matches for every one that you play. It's hard advice to
follow; I know if I followed my own advice I'd be a much better player
than I am *grin*.
And in the matches that you do play, experiment. Try different
strategies, especially those that you have seen but never used. How
will you know their value if you never try them?
Good luck and happy backgammoning...
Marcus
Albert Steg
(Marcus Brooks ) wrote:
> . . . So watch two matches for every one that you play. It's hard advice to
> follow; I know if I followed my own advice I'd be a much better player
> than I am *grin*.
>
While I'd agree that watching good players is a useful part of learning, I
doubt that there is any substitute for playing many many many games. Most
really strong players are people who spend many hours at a (real)
backgammon table, playing for $ both head up & in chouettes. Reading good
books can help a great deal, but the knowledge in them doesn't really
become "your own" until you have put it into uses over the course of
hundreds/thousands of games.
Because there are many different criteria (racing chances, shot equity,
timing, prime architecture, etc.) to bring to bear on any given play, it
is difficult to learn how to the *weight* of the various considerations
from reading alone. Experience develops your feel for what is most
important in a given situation.
After reading the fundamental books, and perhaps taking notes on the bits
you find "new & useful," I'd spend 5-10 hours playing to one hour
studying. Write down interesting positions that arise when you play and
study them, perhaps rolling them out by hand later.
Play in chouettes as often as possible, in which you are neither the
strongest nor weakest player. Learn from your betters, and earn from your
lessers.
Wonderful as it may be in many ways, I still think FIBS is a "second best"
playing option -- you just don't get as many games per hour played.
Albert
jim_wallace
> In article <47f3aq$5...@ixnews4.ix.netcom.com>, bro...@ix.netcom.com
> (Marcus Brooks ) wrote:
>
>
> > . . . So watch two matches for every one that you play. It's hard advice to
> > follow; I know if I followed my own advice I'd be a much better player
> > than I am *grin*.
> >
>
>
> Play in chouettes as often as possible, in which you are neither the
> strongest nor weakest player. Learn from your betters, and earn from your
> lessers.
>
>>>>
I started playing played BG about 1978 and thought I was getting good then. WRONG!! My best
education came in chouettes, albeit at a price. I was fortunate to find a strong local game that
had some advanced players..You see who's making money and why and the discussion, when it doesn't
break down into arguing, can teach you a great deal.
Lesson 2. Play in tournaments, preferable regional ones that attract top players. If you watch as
much as you play, you see when top players stop to think and can learn to get a good
understanding of their style of game and why it is successful.
Even better, start recording matches. Now only can you watch but you have a chance to replay
these matches and study crucial positions and plays.
Lesson 3. Read books. Get your hands on as many as you can. Read them all good or bad. Start at
the beginner level and read most advanced ones.
Pay whatever it costs for Magriels's book. read everthing by Robertie and for education and fun
find and read Danny Kleinman's soft cover writings.
Subcribe to BG newsletters and magazines. Inside Backgammon, Chicago Point, Flint Area Backgammon
are all good and have probelms/discussions every issue.
If you are already doing all this how do you get better still.?
Some ideas for improvements...
Roll-outs (by hand or by computer) both are good but by hand teaches more I feel.
Play propositions. Playing props with my Calgary friens Hal Heinrich has been a excellent
teaching device. You can have props as to takes/drops, doubles/no doubles, play A v Play b etc.
and the pressure of losing a few bucks is a strong incentive. we expanded our props to include
"prop chouettes" where the chou breaks into sides and we contract for a fixed number of games for
each position. Teaching and chouette, the perfect combo.!
Learn match equities. Start by working with a pencil or calculator.(sorry not in live play!) You
will get good enough to do it in your head in a while.
Lastly. Play Play Play. The better your opponent the more you learn. Always try to play stronger
opponents on Fibs. You can always play weaker ones when you are at the top of the list..:-)