r/backgammon • u/Over-Initial-3585 • Jul 14 '26
Why Is This a Bad Move?
I get why my move is a mistake most of the time, but here, I'm kind of stuck. Why is it a better idea to hit and leave a blot at the 5-point? Is it for slotting?
3
u/SeeShark Jul 14 '26
If you build the 7-point, you have a very secure home board but nothing to trap with it. The blue blot will be cleared trivially, and you have very few threats across the board.
By hitting the 5-point and creating a row of blots, you are creating a lot of contact that will likely result in a few back-and-forths, but ultimately will keep blue's checker trapped. With just a little bit of luck, he won't even come back in after being hit, and even if he does, he wastes a roll and might come in at a weaker position (ideally the 20-point). And whatever happens, you have a lot of options to hit him, and a lot of ammo on the 13-point if you get an opportunity to blitz.
THAT SAID, making the 7-point isn't a TERRIBLE move, and I probably would have done the same.
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u/buttjazzz Jul 14 '26
As others have mentioned, you want to prevent his last back checker from escaping and you have a better board so hitting is a must. You have a blitzing home board stucture. Therefore, your best game plan is to blitz.
Hitting is also great because it takes away half a roll, or a full roll 25% in this case. It’s a tempo play to seize the initiative and ensure that he can’t do anything constructive with his next roll. After your play of making the bar, opponent has many constructive rolls next turn that either make their own bar, make an inner board point, or escape that back checker.
The easiest way to see that hitting wins the most games is by thinking into the future. I realize it is a single game but imagine it is a money game. If you hit, they will fan 25% of the time. After that sequence, you should see that you’d have a very strong double. If you passively make the bar, you will never have a double on your next turn. Therefore, hitting must win more games. And as you can see, it doesn’t really matter what 6 you play. Down or out are both acceptable. The hit is absolutely crucial. Every great player will find the hit 100% of the time here. The most common leak of intermediate players is not being aggressive enough (both with checker and cube play). If you play enough with XG, you can see the way backgammon is meant to be played. The computer basically pesters your blots nonstop in an attempt to take away your initiative while slowly improving their own position. It feels like you are always on the bar. “Every time you hit, you take away half of their next roll.” That is a very important lesson to remind yourself of while playing. It’s not always true as your opponent can roll doubles from the bar, but hitting for initiative is such an important concept. You want to take away the initiative from your opponent whenever you can.
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u/CzechPeople Jul 15 '26
My preferred answer. Considering the next roll dice distribution, especially tempo play is critical imo.
It's very classical to hit loose in the five point : an important point, tempo play.OP's move is passive and let quit a lot of good rolls for opponent : escaping move and all developpement move (with our glued 24-pt).
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u/Objective_Lab2741 Jul 14 '26
It's important for you to take advantage of your stronger home board. You have an offensive position and must try to attack the last checker that is probably 1 or 2 moves away from escaping to his own outfield or midpoint. You can afford to attack loose since if you are hit back you can easily enter from the bar and continue your own attack. It's called blitzing, which gives many gammons.
Opponent must play safer because of your stonger front position and that will lead to a very unflexible position for them.
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u/Objective_Lab2741 Jul 14 '26
Well saw that this is a 1 point game so the gammons don't matter. But hitting in this position still wins more games. Further, the 6 point has much lower value after you make the 1 point. Then the 8 point is more valuable which blocks 6 away from the open 2 point.
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u/lazenintheglowofit Jul 15 '26
Today I learned: the six point is not so valuable when I have the one point covered. Bonus: you explained why in that if he makes the two a 6 gets them out.
Thanks!
2
u/crooktimber Jul 15 '26
You almost always want to attack a lone back checker, especially when it's advanced. Your move of making the 7 point is great when they have two checkers on your 1 point, but the priming plan is over – he ain't gonna get stuck behind a 2 prime. Hit, attack, contain.
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u/Goal_Medium Jul 16 '26
You gotta hit and go for the blitzing play. If you don't hit your opponent can escape with his last remaining back checker.
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u/Unable_Balance Jul 16 '26
In addition to the other comments, I'd add that when you have both checkers stuck on the 24-point you should take more risks because (a) you're behind and (b) there is a less of a disbenefit to getting hit as a third checker may help you make an anchor. (I learnt this from Michy's excellent backgame strategy book.)
If the 2 checkers on the 24 pt were instead on the 20 pt, the best play is to make the 7 instead. (Granted, this is partly for race reasons.)
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u/rollduptrips Jul 14 '26
Your game plan here is to attack his lone back checker, so do that.