The UKBGF has been invited to select players to represent the UK in two International Online backgammon competitions taking place this year. The UKBGF committee has nominated rising UK backgammon star Eric McAlpine as the UK Team Captain and Selector, and we are delighted that Eric has accepted this challenge.
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Archives for January 2014
First UK Open Qualifier a Resounding Success!
In a symbolic reversal of the replacement of backgammon by poker over the last dozen or so years (in many venues, and also as the favoured game of many players of both games), a determined crowd of 40 backgammon players sat down at noon on Saturday in the card room of the Brighton Grosvenor.
All card tables had been removed and replaced by rows of trestle tables bearing serried ranks of tabletop backgammon boards. This was the first in a series of eight events to be hosted by Grosvenor casinos round the country, from each of which one lucky (and/or skilful!) player will emerge with a seat in the UK Backgammon Open.
Grosvenor looked after the players well, providing an overflow playing area in the restaurant, a delicious hot buffet after the first round of play, and free tea and coffee all day. I think most players would agree that they got value for their £10 registration fee, even if they suffered an early exit. For those who did, there were 8-player jackpots for various entry fees with 100% return.
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Those Tricky Double 3s
I am working hard to remember all of the second roll responses. This has been on my to-do list for about 4 years so it is about time that I actually did it. I am definitely going to have them perfected in time for the London Open.
There are a number of reasons for memorising the 2nd roll responses. I think that the three most important of these are:
- The opening rolls happen a lot – if you are making even small mistakes then they will add up;
- Learning how the responses change due to small changes in the position develops positional awareness;
- The opening responses form a body of reference positions that can inform the rest of your checker play.
As part of my learning I recently tested myself on 609 opening responses (29 common ways of playing the opening roll multiplied by the 21 possible reply rolls).
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Developing Positional Awareness
The Subtlety of Backgammon
Backgammon is hard. Small changes to a position can make a big difference to what the correct play is.
Money Play. White to play 42.
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