Backgammon

Too Much Bolly? Harbinger Hall was bathed in warm sunshine as the Indian summer showed no sign of ending. The chouette had moved on to the terrace where Graves provided a seemingly neverending supply of Bollinger to the combatants. The Itinerant Italian (White) was in the box. “What an awkward roll,” commented Cautious Cuthbert. “We still have racing chances so I suggest we just play safe with 13/6 with this 52.”

“Surely there must be something better,” said Barry Bigplay. “I think we need to steal a tempo from II here as he is threatening to make a new home board point. I suggest either 8/1* or perhaps 13/11, 6/1* as that duplicates ones. What do you think, DD?”

The Dowager Duchess sipped gently from her champagne flute while she pondered her answer. “I have a slight preference for 13/11, 6/1*,” she finally replied. “That way the blot on the 11-pt is a builder for our home board. No doubt you disagree, EE?”

The Enigmatic Englishman had imbibed less than the others and brought some clear logic to the situation. “Obviously our rear checkers should stay where they are. It looks to me as if trying to blitz II is doomed to failure and we should look for an alternative plan. Risky though it looks I believe we need to try to use our checkers to build a prime in front of II’s rear checker and if that fails we can revert to either a holding game or a back game. I think the right play is 8/3, 6/4, starting two points and duplicating threes.”

“Good grief!” exclaimed CC. “Can that possibly be correct?”

“Wonderful,’ said BB. “A truly big play. I’m surprised I didn’t see it myself.” “I bow to your superior reasoning, EE. Let’s make your move,” said DD.