subject: Backgammon - The Importance of Counting Pips [print this page] Backgammon - The Importance of Counting Pips
Summary
One of my favourite pastimes is to meetup withbackgammon players at a new backgammon club in Edinburgh, Scotlandcalled ScotGammon.It's a great club where the emphasis is on tournament play. I am a match player and as such, the set-up at ScotGammon suits my type of play.
Anyway, the reason I am writing this article is because recently, one of the ScotGammon members has introduceda new method of counting pips. I have found learning it so simple. Moreover, I can now count pips within seconds.
Definition
A pip-count is the total number required onfuture dice rollsfor you to bear all your checkers off. This definition assumes thatno-one gets hitand all numbers can be played.
Asssessing the status of the race is essential
I havefound it difficult toconvince beginners at Edinburghbackgammon meetupsthat it is more difficult to improve their game if they don'tlearn to count pips.
They have various objections to counting pips.
Some say thatit slows the game down. However, there are methods which enable people to count each side of the board in seconds.
Another common objection is, "I'm no good at maths". Mostpip counting systems are not about"maths". Only simple arithmetic is involved.
The significance of the race in backgammon
Below are justsome of thequestions that can be answered if you havean accurate assessment of the race in backgammon.
Should you run your last checkers past your opponent's last checkers if you get the opportunity?
When you roll a big double and are still behind in the pip-count after you move your checkers, how much contact should you keep?
Should you leave a shot either by hitting and leaving a blot, slotting, orby playing to diversify your builders?
Should your game plan be for the priming game or for another type of game?
The answers to all of these questions are race-dependent.
A Method of Pip-Counting
I would like totell you about a pip-counting system that was recently published by one of theScotGammon members. I will be using this method atevery Edinburghbackgammon meetup that I attend in the future.
There are many pip-counting methods to choose from.
With any method, you do have to practice before you can guage the advantages and disadvantages of the system. They don't always look easy if you just read about the method. I would say that this system doesn't take much practice relative to other methods that I have tried.
