Archive for the ‘Backgammon’ Category

Advanced Backgammon Strategies – Using the Doubling Cube

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Although, the Doubling Dice is unknown to many of the backgammon informal gamers, it will be necessary software in superior backgammon methods and in cash matches and tournaments.

This cube is designated for raising the stakes with the match and its introduction towards the backgammon globe is one of the primary factors for the rise of popularity of backgammon.

The cube has 6 faces and also the numbers written on it- 2, 4, 8,16,32,64.

At the beginning with the match, the doubling cube is placed beside the board or on the Bar in between the players.

Any player, who feels at any stage with the match, that he is main sufficiently within the match, prior to throwing his dice, might recommend to double the stakes by placing the doubling cube using the quantity 2 facing up.

For instance player A made the decision to raise the stakes.

Player B, his opponent, the player the provide is given to, right after reviewing his scenario, has two choices:

He might refuse the provide and thus lose the game and 1 unit.

He might agree to double the stakes, and in this case the match continues with greater stakes.

Player B, who agreed towards the provide, is now the owner with the doubling cube, meaning only him (player B) has the choice to double the stakes once more at any stage with the game.

If player B decides to complete so, he has to complete it on his turn prior to throwing his dice.

Now he requires the dice and locations it to ensure that the quantity 4 is facing up.

Player A, has now the identical two choices, only this time if he declines the provide he will lose two units, and if he agrees the stakes will rise to 4 times the original and also the doubling cube returns to his manage.

The cube can pass from player to player, every time raising the stakes.

The Crawford rule -

If you’re playing a game till N- points, and your opponent is main and reaches N-1 points, meaning he is short 1 point from winning the game, you are not allowed to use the Doubling cube within the following game, nevertheless, you are able to use the dice within the following matches if the game continues.

The cause will be the weaker player will usually wish to raise the stakes simply because he has absolutely nothing to lose anymore and we want maintain the use of the dice in fairness of both sides.

The Jacoby rule -

This rule is utilized in cash games and by no means in match games. It decides that a backgammon or gammon may not be scored as such only if the cube has been passed and accepted. The cause behind this rule is speeding up.

The Holland rule -

The Holland rule is utilized in match games and decides that in post-Crawford games, the trailer can only double right after both sides have played two rolls. The rule tends to make the totally free drop much more beneficial towards the main player but usually just confuses the problem.

Unlike the Crawford rule, this rule isn’t popular, and is rarely used today.

The beavers, raccoons, otters and any other animals in the backgammon game-

These animals appear only, if wanted by both sides, in money games and never in match games.

If player A, doubles the stakes, and player B believes A is wrong and he (player B) has the advantage, B can double the stakes and keep the doubling cube on his side. For example, if A makes the initial double and puts the doubling cube on 2, B can say “Beaver”, turn the cube to 4 and keep the cube at his side. If A believes B is wrong he can say “Raccoon” and turn the cube to 8. All this time, B remains the owner of the doubling cube. If B wishes to raise the stakes once more, he only needs to say another silly name (the animal’s name is a controversy among players) and so on.

The Chouette -

Chouette is a version of backgammon for more than 2 players. One of the players is the “Box” and plays against the rest of the group on a single board.

Another player is the “Captain” of the group, who throws the dice and makes the moves for the group playing against the box.

If the Box wins, the Captain goes to the back of the line and the next player becomes the Captain of the team. If the Captain wins, he becomes the new Box, and the old Box goes to the end of the line.

The rules regarding the ability of the group to consult with the Captain changes from version to version. In some versions of the Chouette the group can freely give advice to the Captain, and in other versions, consulting is strictly forbidden.

The compromised version is the most popular- consulting is legitimate only after the dice have been thrown.

Originally, Chouette was played with a single die .The only decisions that players other than the Captain were allowed to make on their own was concerning the takes: If the Box had doubled, each player on the team could take or drop independently. Today, a multiple-cube Chouette is more popular; each player on the team has his own cube, and all doubling, dropping, and taking decisions are made independently by all players.