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The Way We Were

by Jake Jacobs
10 October 2012

Jake Jacobs

Rick Janowski has been compiling error ratings for backgammon players from the pre-bot era. Digging through the archives, exploring dark chambers full of cobwebs and grinning skeletons on my hard drive, I unearthed three dozen of my own matches that range from ten to twenty years old. Much like old wine, if not sweet to begin with, there is a good chance that they will turn out to be vinegar now. The first one I put in XG gave me a thrill; during the two days it was being analyzed - I used rigorous settings, and it was a 23-point match - it showed that I had played 1.3, while my opponent was on the shady side of 25. That's when I learned that it is the summary of the first game that teases you during the rollout; I scored 6.0 that match, and my opponent came all the way back to 9.3.

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