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3 x 5 backgammon puzzle -- Four move Solution

Posted By: Nack Ballard
Date: Saturday, 26 June 2010, at 3:49 a.m.

As promised, here is the follow-up to my previous post.

The advanced 3 x 5 puzzle I had proposed is:

From the starting position of backgammon, four (full) moves -- eight rolls total -- are played. Both players end up with three checkers on each of five points. (The bar/25pt counts as a point.) What is the maximum difference in pipcount between the two players?

32: Blue plays 6/4 6/3

33: White plays 24/21*/18 13/10(2)

22: Blue plays Bar/23 13/11 13/9

44: White plays 18/14*/10 13/5

22: Blue plays Bar/23 6/4 6/2

11: White plays 24/23*/22 6/5(2)

11: Blue plays Bar/24 Bar/23 4/3*

33: White plays Bar/22*/19*/16*/13

	126
Final position: 153-pip difference	279

In tabular form, the sequence is

1) 32: 6/4 6/3... 33: 24/21*/18 13/10(2)
2) 22: Bar/23 13/11 13/9... 44: 18/14*/10 13/5
3) 22: Bar/23 6/4 6/2... 11: 24/23*/22 6/5(2)
4) 11: Bar/24 Bar/23 4/3*... 33: Bar/22*/19*/16*/13

It came up in a game just the other day. :)

Nack

Messages In This Thread

• 3 x 5 backgammon puzzle -- Four move Solution
  Nack Ballard -- Saturday, 26 June 2010, at 3:49 a.m.
  • 3 x 5 backgammon puzzle -- Four move Solution
    Stein Kulseth -- Monday, 28 June 2010, at 8:44 a.m.
    • 3 x 5 backgammon puzzle -- Four move Solution
      Nack Ballard -- Monday, 28 June 2010, at 5:31 p.m.