[dba-Tech] Very Low-Tech question: Backgammon

Arthur Fuller artful at rogers.com
Sun Feb 19 21:06:16 CST 2006


I just found a backgammon club in Chicago which appears to have what I need.
I emailed and am awaiting a response, but I think they have what I want.
For two years+ I made my living playing backgammon. I learned that there are
three phases in the life of a skilled player: in Year One, you learn how to
move the checkers; in Year Two, you learn how to move the doubling cube; in
Year Three, you learn how to move the opponent. At that point it became
clear to me that professional backgammon players systematically find their
inferiors, discover their pain thresholds (at some point, you would rather
run away to Boise than pay me -- that is the pain threshold) and win $100
less than that -- so you pay me rather than run. And at that point, I
realized that this is not an honourable profession.
Tournament backgammon IS, but not money games. In tournament rules, you
declare a stake ($100) and a goal-line (7 points), and it is impossible to
lose more than $100. Even more interesting, for the statistically inclined,
the money-game rules for doubling are suddenly inverted: given that you are
leading 7-4 in a race to 9, the last thing you should do is double because I
will redouble and thus gain a chance (albeit slim) of winning the match...
but this slim chance is better than the previous probability that I faced.
Backgammon is a very profound game. My tutor, who was for 7 years Canadian
chess champion and also holds a black belt in Go, says that backgammon is
much deeper than chess. In fact, he invented a game that we call Bless,
which is Blitz chess plus the doubling cube. You play standard Blitz chess
(5 seconds a move or 5 minutes a match, depending on local customs), but
with the doubling cube: we start off playing for $100; when it's your move
you have the option to double the stakes: I fold and pay the stake or
continue to play for $200. Etc. I have seen thousands of dollars change
hands in 10 minutes in this insane game.
I know I digress, but I wish to present the simplest backgammon problem for
those interested.
W has two checkers left, on the 1 point and the 3 point.
B has two checkers left, on the 1 point and the 2 point.
It is W's move. 
1. Should W double the bet?
2. Should B decline or accept?
Arthur




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