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The annoying ace and a quiz

Posted By: David Levy
Date: Wednesday, 28 August 2019, at 9:06 p.m.

I've often said that the worst thing in backgammon is to get backgammoned while ahead at Crawford-even. The second worst is fanning on a two-point board. It generally costs much more equity than fanning on a one-point board. A recent match brought to mind a candidate for the third worst thing.

Playing online at DMP, my opponent had three checkers on the ace point. I had one each on the 5 and 2 with an ace left to play. Everyone knows this, right? Either ace leaves you 23 rolls to get off, but 5/4 works if you roll 4-3 or 4-2 while 2/1 works if you roll 5-1 or 6-1. It's an annoying choice, particularly if you play 2/1, opponent rolls non-doubles and you roll 4-3. And that's how I lost the match. I nominate that "annoying ace" parlay as the third worst thing in backgammon.

Now the quiz. There is another annoying ace in the late bearoff. Do you know it?

Messages In This Thread

• The annoying ace and a quiz
  David Levy -- Wednesday, 28 August 2019, at 9:06 p.m.
  • The annoying ace and a quiz
    Timothy Chow -- Thursday, 29 August 2019, at 12:52 a.m.
  • An annoying three and the quiz answer
    David Levy -- Friday, 30 August 2019, at 7:36 p.m.
  • The annoying ace and a quiz
    Neil Robins -- Saturday, 31 August 2019, at 9:11 p.m.