Backgammmon Prime Problems

by Walter Trice
15 May 2008

Walter Trice

Trapping an opponent's checkers behind a prime - a compact set of blocking points - is one of backgammon's most basic winning strategies. A priming game rewards skillful checker play more consistently than other game plans. Many expert players believe that nudging the game towards a prime-building contest is one way to get better results against a weaker opponent. At the same time, some of the thorniest problems come up in these games.

A common dilemma in a priming game is whether to use a particular roll to strengthen one's own prime or to escape past the opponent's blocking points. A second is whether, and when, to switch from a priming approach to an attack. Sometimes these options pop up simultaneously, so that one faces a trilemma: escape, prime, or attack.
 

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Article text Copyright © 1999-2012 Walter Trice and GammonVillage Inc.

Feedback about this article:

1.

Subject: Re: Backgammmon Prime Problems

From: ekw   

Date: 27 May 2008 21:58 EST

Interesting article -- but I've only read now to Problem 4, wondering what you mean by "gives White a better chance to enter and wreck his board," and then "If White enters..."

White's not on the bar.

Ms.Abdul, did you really mean to say that?

2.

Subject: Re: Backgammmon Prime Problems

From: ekw   

Date: 27 May 2008 22:03 EST

Problem 6 is worth letting sink in. Curious how doubling doesn't figure in it at all yet. (Cube's in the middle, no loss-of-market or even efficient double on the next roll)

=e

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