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BGonline.org Forums
Match Analysis
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: Match Analysis (Giuliano Pietoso)
Date: Sunday, 15 July 2012, at 3:44 a.m.
Trying to learn backgammon by studying matches is, in my opinion, one of the least effective ways to improve your game. Yes, it can be interesting, and yes, it will absolutely help you find holes in your game, and yes, you can and will learn some things, but it is truly a helter-skelter way of learning that doesn't really go into enough depth into any one area enough for you to walk away with the best reference positions, rules of thumb, and processes to help you game in the long run.
For example, the first time you see a checker play in a blitzing positions that you didn't understand, just finding out that it was wrong to hit in that given position will not "teach" you how to blitz...when you should hit and when you shouldn't. Just because you see a complicated cube decision you didn't understand will not teach you the the affect of the take points and gammon values at that score, or how why it was right to double because some expert knew that there was a potential for 40% gammons.
The ONLY way to truly learn this game, and learn it well, in my opinion, is NOT by playing and not by watching experts and trying to imitate them, but by breaking the game down into it's various elements and learning each area thoroughly.
If you have UNLIMITED time to learn the game, by all means, look at annotated matches and watch experts. But if your time and energy are limited, and your goal is to improve, you must study the game piece by piece.
I have been studying this game seriously for the past 30 years (played over 55) and what I am telling you here is NOT just my personal opinion, is comes from virtually every expert teacher I have ever known, and I have taken lessons from and with virtually all of them.
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