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Practice

Posted By: Matt Cohn-Geier
Date: Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 12:18 p.m.

In Response To: Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic? (Lucky Jim)

Practice.

Practice.

Practice.

I do like the “Mental Shift Method” that Magriel writes about but that doesn’t work when the positions lack any symmetry.

It does, but it requires practice.

This is what I do 98% of the time. I also keep a running count on every roll, at least if I am playing a match (I usually don't bother in a chou unless I am the box, though sometimes I do as the captain). This is easy because you only need to pay attention to every other roll or so and you are generally dealing with numbers less than 10 (e.g. I rolled a 9 and he just rolled a 7 so I gained 2 pips). It becomes somewhat difficult when there is a lot of hitting going on but there are some useful tricks for that too. A running count is worthless, though, if you can't get a pip count if/when you lose the running count.

trying to minimise as much mental arithmetic over the baord from the process as possible because in the heat of the game I am just going to mess it up.

You might be better served working on your OTB composure. Which, incidentally, is also helped mostly by practice.

a) Are there any articles which are particularly helpfully for the mathematically challenged?

Nack was going to write one but I think he stopped for lack of content. I would likely have the same problem if I were writing an article on pip counting.

b) What are the best ways of improving your skills with this if you are terrible at mental arithmetic?

Practice.

c) How long does it take to become reasonably proficient?(assuming daily practice)

I don't know, where are you at right now, how much are you practicing every day, and what do you consider reasonably proficient?

Messages In This Thread

• Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
  Lucky Jim -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 11:55 a.m.
  • Practice
    Matt Cohn-Geier -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 12:18 p.m.
    • Practice
      Dan Pelton -- Monday, 4 January 2010, at 10:58 a.m.
  • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
    alex21 -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 1:05 p.m.
  • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
    W Womack -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 2:46 p.m.
  • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
    Gregg Cattanach -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 3:36 p.m.
  • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
    Bob Koca -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 4:48 p.m.
    • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
      Jason Lee -- Sunday, 3 January 2010, at 5:04 p.m.
      • Any tips for pip counting techniques when terrible at mental arithmetic?
        Chuck Bower -- Monday, 4 January 2010, at 2:11 p.m.
      • Joy of Mathematics DVD series
        Chuck Bower -- Monday, 4 January 2010, at 2:14 p.m.