a question of strategy
JEAN-PIERRE AVY
against certain human players, I have difficulty understanding why they take
the risk to hit me in my interior jan (brings in 19 and 24 for example),
whereas I can hit them in return. They will have to nearly redo the course
complete then whereas, for my part, I was in the beginning the course.
Is this someone has elements of answer?
Regards
Avy Jean-Pierre
b-...@worldonline.fr
Douglas Zare
> When I play against Jelly Fish or other programs of backgammon, or even
> against certain human players, I have difficulty understanding why they take
> the risk to hit me in my interior jan (brings in 19 and 24 for example),
> whereas I can hit them in return. They will have to nearly redo the course
> complete then whereas, for my part, I was in the beginning the course.
> Is this someone has elements of answer?
It can be really frustrating when you see someone do a silly move and get away
with it. It could be because they were foolish but lucky, however, in this
case, the reason is that the move is probably not silly.
You might be thinking about the number of steps JF gains in the race (1-5)
versus the number of steps it loses if hit back (20-24). However, the immediate
dangers of losing ground in the race are not as severe as they might seem,
since
1) When it hits, you are definitely hit, but you will not always hit back.
2) When you are on the bar, you don't get to play 6-6 (assuming that the 6
point is still made), which is already 24 of the 294 possible pips to roll. If
your opponent's 4 point is already made then you can't play 6-6, 4-6, 6-4, or
4-4, for a total of 72 pips, or 2 pips on average even though you would only
stay on the bar 1 time in 9.
That is not enough, though, but there are many other factors which encourage it
to hit loose in its inner board. The race is only part of the game.
1) The fastest way to make a point is to slot it, then cover. When you don't
hit back, your opponent gets to make its board quickly. 3-1 is a better start
than 6-5.
2) If you are very much behind or very much ahead in the race, it doesn't hurt
very much to lose ground. If you are behind, it might be worth more to gain a
few pips than to lose a lot.
3) You don't have much control over where the hit checker enters. JF might
prefer it further forward, where it may cause less danger. JF may prefer it to
be back away from the edge of a prime, or the start of an advanced anchor.
4) By hitting, it deprives you of a chance to make a new point, such as when
you have a lot of builders poised to make your 5 or bar points. When you enter,
you might not have much flexibility in how you play the rest of the roll, so it
might get additional chances at hitting your other blots.
5) Sometimes there is nothing good to do elsewhere with its dice.
6) Sometimes it is good to get hit, since it may increase one's flexibility or
improve one's timing.
Hmm. I wonder if I missed any major reasons.
Douglas Zare
Dan McBride, Jr.
I have played maybe 100 times total but my record is above .500..
Anyway, I do this all the time...
What it does for me is:
1) Get the other player frustrated.. Ok, I know that seems mean but it's
a game in which one wants to win..
2) Limits your move to only 1 die... Even when you "knock me back" I am
often in the position to knock another of your pieces off again....
3) Often I can bump your guy off, get lucky and start building a
blockage in that interior "jan"-sorry I need to learn the terms more..
I've seen times where all I have blocked is the 6th space and the guy
rolls 6-6 (is it said "66"?)
4) I consider luck a part of the game and if I think "If I knock him off
he has 1/6 chance of reentering v 1/6 chance of getting me back and a
4/6 chance of me gaining a small edge and him losing one move...." well
I like that chance..
It's part of the game.. I like to start a little chaos.. I find this
throws off the opponent using some prefabricated plan and puts me in
"the zone".
Often when I start taking more pieces the game turns into a bit of a
dogfight...
When I utilize control and luck in balance I have an edge.
Later
Dan
JEAN-PIERRE AVY wrote:
>
> When I play against Jelly Fish or other programs of backgammon, or even
> against certain human players, I have difficulty understanding why they take
> the risk to hit me in my interior jan (brings in 19 and 24 for example),
> whereas I can hit them in return. They will have to nearly redo the course
> complete then whereas, for my part, I was in the beginning the course.
> Is this someone has elements of answer?
>
> Regards
>
> Avy Jean-Pierre
> b-...@worldonline.fr
JEAN-PIERRE AVY
Your answers are applicable and I thank of it to you. I had not considered,
indeed, that the problem of the course. The other aspects that you evoked
illuminate me, now, on the good reasons, to take the risk to hit in our
interior board.
I would like, if you don't see an inconvenience there and when the need will
present himself, to debate again with you, of the strategy of the
Backgammon.
PS: I ask you to excuse my uncertain English.
Regards
Avy Jean-Pierre
FRANCE
b-...@worldonline.fr
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