The main advantage bots have over us mere mortals is their ability to grasp the big picture. When it comes to technical issues such as races, bearing in safely, or maneuvering to jar a second checker loose from a backgame, experts can outplay the bots. These positions require focus onlyon a specific side of the board. What is happening on the other side of the board doesn't make much difference. For most positions, the whole board matters. Whether or not to take acertain risk on one side of the board is often a function of what the otherside of the board looks like, not just the side of the board where therisk is being taken. The neural networks of the bots can synthesize all of this information and weigh it together properly to usually come to the correct conclusion. This is something which we have to learn to be able to do if we are going to improve our game. Here is a simple early game example: 158 151 White money game Blue Blue has a choice of five points to make. In general, offense comes before defense. Blue's offensive position improves dramatically after playing 8/5, 6/5.With the White checkers hemmed in on the ace point, Blue has a good chance to win a priming battle. His own back men aren't in great danger, so it isn't urgent for him to make the advanced anchor. However, a slight change in the position changes the priorities. 152 151 White money game Blue Now making the offensive five point doesn't gain as much. White has an advanced anchor, so Blue can't hem White in. It is more important for Blue to counter with an advanced anchor of his own. If he fails to do so, he risks finding himself on the wrong end of a priming battle. Even though24/20, 23/20 leaves White the direct shot at the blot on the nine point, it is still the superior play. The change in White's defensive structure shifts Blue's priorities from offense to defense. 159 160 White money game Blue There is no need to risk the action play of B/18. Blue is in fine shape, and by playing B/24, 13/7 he can bring down some ammunition to make a new point.With White penned in on Blue's ace point, Blue figures to be in good shape in a priming battle. Playing B/18 just gives White a chance to batter Bluearound and safely split his own back checkers. Contrast this with: 151 160 White money game Blue This is another story. White has an advanced anchor, so playing B/24, 13/7 isn't particularly productive. Blue isn't going to be able to hem White in.If Blue doesn't fight on White's side of the board with B/18, White willbring the builders down and hem Blue in. This time it is imperative toplay B/18. White may hit, but then Blue has a chance to hit back. Note how the change of what has happened on the other side of the board makes the split correct now when it wasn't correct before. The situation on the other side of the board is often vital when considering pay me now or pay me later problems. Here is an example: 147 100 White money game Blue Blue can volunteer a shot now with 13/8, 13/9. He will be almost certainly home if the shot is missed. Since White's board is in such bad shape, it is correct for Blue to volunteer the shot. The key is that even if White hits the shot White will still have a difficult time containing the hitchecker. If Blue waits, he will probably have to leave a shot later when White has a stronger board. Contrast this with: 143 100 White money game Blue This is another story. White has a solid five-prime, so if he hits a shothe will be a favorite to contain the hit checker. This time Blue is betteroff playing the number in his inner board and hoping to roll doubles later to clear the midpoint. Getting hit now would be fatal. The situation on the other side of the board can often affect blitz decisions.The weaker the opponent is, the more aggressive you can be with your attack. 157 118 White money game Blue The problem of whether to hit a second checker and prevent your opponent from anchoring or to make a new inner board point is a common dilemma when running a blitz. There are many factors invovled, but a crucial one is the stateof your opponent's board. In this position White has no board at all, soeven if Blue hits loose and White hits back Blue figures to have little difficulty escaping. The gain from putting a second checker on the bar and preventing White from anchoring is large. Blue has plenty of ammunition left to fight with. Blue should play 6/4*, 4/3*. A slight difference on the other side of the board can change things. 153 118 White money game Blue Now White has made the five point. This changes things. If Blue hits twocheckers and White hits back, suddenly White is back in the game. That made five point gives White a fighting chance in a blot-hitting contest, and sends him on his way toward containing any hit checkers. It isn't worth the risk. Blue should simply play 6/4*, 5/4 and hope that White doesn't anchor. Timing considerations on the other side of the board can often affectyour checker play. For example: 127 76 White money game Blue 10/7, 9/7 is an awkward play. Piling four checkers on the bar point restricts Blue's flexibility. Now if he rolls fives and fours he will be forced totake these checkers deep, which will hurt him later in when bearing off against the ace-point anchor. The advantage of the play is that it kills Blue's sixes. If Blue rolls a six next turn he won't have to play it, which permits him to retain his prime longer. Since White is on the verge of crunching, holding that prime one extra roll could be quite significant. If White is forced to crunch his board, it won't be nearly as serious if and when White hits a shot later on. Blue should play 10/7, 9/7. 105 76 White money game Blue This time White is already crunched. There isn't much more damage that can be done to his board, so Blue doesn't gain by holding the prime an extra roll. Now Blue should play the more flexible 10/8, 9/6. The different structureon the other side of the table changes Blue's play. The full board picture is often of vital importance for cube decisions. Consider the following well-known type of position: 132 102 White money game Blue A classic five-point holding game. Blue has a solid double. Despite therace deficit, White has a comfortable take. He has some small racing chances,along with the possibility of hitting a shot. These combined possibilitiesare sufficient to get him over the 25% mark. However, change the position to: 132 102 White money game Blue Same holding game, same pip count. The difference is that White has noboard, and he will have some difficulty building up a board. This meansthat hitting a shot is no longer a virtual winner for White -- he will still have some work to do. This is sufficient to Swing what was a solid takeinto a pass. Cube decisions involving blitzes are the trickiest of all. There are a ton of factors involved, but the most underrated one is the strength of the blitzee's board. 164 133 White money game Blue Blue has a strong blitz potential. To make matters worse for White, hehas no board. This means that if White starts to survive the blitz by hitting a shot Blue will be able to get right back in and White will still have to work to get an offense going. This fact combined with the obvious danger that Blue's blitz might succeed is sufficient to give White a clear pass. 160 133 White money game Blue Just a little change -- White now has his five point. This makes all thedifference in the world. The blitz danger is still there, but if things start to go White's way now he will have something. He won't have to make his five point -- he already has it. In addition the made five pointincreases the chances the Blue may Stay Out if hit. That five point turnsthe position from a pass to a solid take. Blue still has a double, due to the volatility of the position and his threats. But another small change in the position: 158 133 White money game Blue The difference here is that White no longer has an outfield blot hanging.This means that even if Blue gets the blitz going, he won't have anyother checkers to scoop up. This change is sufficient to no longer give Blue a double. Quite the change. From double-pass to double-take tono double with the same blitz threat, depending on what is happening on theother side of the board. These are just a few of the many types of positions where what is happeningon one side of the board affects the play on the other side of the board. Backgammon is a complex game where all the pieces interact with one another.It is necessary to get the big picture of this interaction in order to understand the position and find the right play.

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