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Having got a very positive reader response to the article on
Goulding’s maxim, I thought it would be a good idea to remind
everyone of one of Paul Magriel’s maxims. For those unfamiliar
with the name, Paul is the author of the seminal work “Backgammon”
and for many years was the best player in the world. He has
probably done more for backgammon than any other players in its
history.
His maxim is simply this: “Put your checkers where they belong”.
To demonstrate it let’s look at this week’s position taken from
the Battersea chouette, with The Doyen playing black.
There are only two moves to consider: (a) bar/23, 9/3 and (b)
bar/23, 13/7.
After (a) does that spare checker on the 3-pt look as if it
belongs there? Of course it doesn’t! Once you realise this and
apply Magriel’s maxim, then the logical (and therefore correct)
play is (b).
The move has a lot of things going for it: it slots the sixth
point of black’s prime; it makes good use of the spare on the
mid-point (doesn’t that checker just look as if it wants to be on
the bar-point?) and it duplicates white’s sixes. Not bad for one
move. In contrast (a) takes all the pressure off white and gives
him a much more comfortable position.
The Doyen is of the old school and commenting that (b) was just
too risky he selected move (a). Justice was done when he ended up
losing the game.
Back in the 1980’s I had a series of lessons with Magriel and this
concept of putting the checkers where they belong was one he
constantly reiterated. Those lessons were well worth the price of
admission.
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