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Dancing For The Holidays

by Bart Brooks
25 November 2007

Bart Brooks

It is close to the holidays. A time to go dancing. 3rd roll dancing. This occurs when there is a non-point making opening roll and the reply puts one or two checkers in the air (dancing) and the opener dances (stays on the bar). These positions invariably result in a cube question, whether to double or not and whether to take or not.

Most people remember the most common of these being 52 played 24/22 13/8 followed by the reply 55 pointing on and hitting both home board checkers or the reply 33 making the 5 point and hitting and pointing on the 3 point. Of course, these are not the most common, but most remembered. We remember the disaster of dancing and not those successfully coming in. As these plays complete three inner board points we dance on them more frequently.

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Subject: Re: Dancing For The Holidays

From: PhilSimborg Member has a photo available

Date: 27 Nov 2007 23:40 EST

Excellent article. The main thing I learned is I am going to start slotting my five and four points a lot more often as opposed to splitting my back checkers, particularly where I am at gammon-save.

These are excellent reference positions, but of course, they get much more complicated at different match scores.

Subject: Re: Dancing For The Holidays

From: Coolrey

Date: 29 Nov 2007 12:45 EST

Good work, Bart... I got lost on the explanation of example 52A v 33 and re-reading it I still don't get it. However, there was a lot of good information in this piece. Work on clarity... Newspapers are written so that a 6th grader can understand them. I am not sure that backgammon players are of a higher level of education than that.

Subject: Re: Dancing For The Holidays

From: eberlein

Date: 30 Nov 2007 15:00 EST

Great Article! I'd like to comment on position A12, which is both a hugely efficient double for the doubler and a good practical take against a human. The reasons for taking are: 1) The doubling side has much more opportunity to make checker play errors, especially in the most gammon-prone sequences. In practice, the doubler will usually make more than 0.027 worth of errors in the sequel than his opponent. 2) Since most sequences will begin favorably for the doubler, all the hits + 44, there is great potential for him to "steam" after a late turnaround by his opponent. He'll feel cheated of his gammon, by an opponent that "didn't know it wasn't a take." Just be sure he is more likely to steam than you are, if you decide to take! You will be gammoned a lot! But if you decide to let him fish in the gammon waters, perhaps he'll pull up . . . a "root" !

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