Chow’s Checkerplay Challenge #2

Test your backgammon skill by finding the top play in each of the following challenging problems!
Scoring: Each problem is worth 2 points. In some cases, if you choose a play that is close enough to the top play (as determined by an eXtreme Gammon 3-ply rollout), you can earn 1 point or even 2 points. Be sure to note the match score when solving each problem.

Problem 1: Money play with Jacoby

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
|2O2X1O2X '3X|   | '2X1X ' '4O|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 | 1 |       3 2       |
| ' ' '2X1O4O|   |1O2O ' ' '3X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 136, Black 174
Position ID: Zs7CAQbQa/AAMg Match ID: cIkJAAAAAAAA

Problem 2: 4 point match, White 0, Black 0

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
| ' ' '2X '5X| 2 | '3X ' '2O1O|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 |   |       5 4       |
|2O1O1O1O2O2O|   |3O2X ' ' '3X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 135, Black 95
Position ID: mM/BYQCrtgMNAA Match ID: QYmSAAAAAAAA

Problem 3: Money play

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
|3X2X3X2X2O3X|   | '1X ' ' ' '|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 |   |       2 2       |
|1O2O2O2O3O1O| 2 | '1O ' '1O1X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 63, Black 99
Position ID: t5sTBABtu0QAAw Match ID: UQkJAAAAAAAA

Problem 4: 1 point match

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
| '2X2X2X2X2X|   |1X1X ' ' '4O|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 | 1 |       2 1       |
|2O2O1X ' '4O|   |2X3O ' ' ' '|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 113, Black 106
Position ID: tm0FYAgbnoMHAA Match ID: cAklAAAAAAAA

Problem 5: Money play

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
| '2X2O2X2X2X| 2 | '3X1X ' ' '|
|                   | 1X|                   |
|                 |   |       5 3       |
|2O2O '2O2O2O|   |1O2O ' ' '2X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 118, Black 103
Position ID: ZpsLA0CbbQ0ADA Match ID: QYkOAAAAAAAA

Problem 6: Gammon go (2 point match, White 1, Black 0, Crawford)

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
| ' '2X1X '4X|   |2O2X ' ' '3O|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 | 1 |       1 1       |
|2O1X '2O '4O|   | '2O ' ' '5X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 138, Black 125
Position ID: LM/gAxBjnsHBAA Match ID: 8IlEABAAAAAA

Problem 7: Money play

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
| ' '2X '2O4X| 2 |1O4X ' '2X1O|
|                   | 1X|                   |
|                 |   |       4 2       |
|2O2O2O '2O2O|   |1O ' ' ' '2X|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 135, Black 112
Position ID: jOcxA0DbbIEgAw Match ID: QQkKAAAAAAAA

Problem 8: Gammon save (2 point match, White 0, Black 1, Crawford)

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
|2X1X2X2X2X4X|   | ' ' '1X ' '|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 | 1 |       6 5       |
|1O '2O1X2O4O|   |2O2O '2O ' '|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 83, Black 91
Position ID: a9tDAASZvc0AAA Match ID: 8AlXAAAACAAA

Problem 9: 1 point match

+-24-23-22-21-20-19-+---+-18-17-16-15-14-13-+
|2X2X2X4X2X2X|   | ' '1O ' ' '|
|                   |   |                   |
|                 | 1 |       5 5       |
| '3O1X '2O3O|   |2O '2O1O '1O|
+--1--2--3--4--5--6-+---+--7--8--9-10-11-12-+

Pip counts: White 72, Black 104
Position ID: 294GAAiO3SwhAA Match ID: cIk2AAAAAAAA

Problem 10

This problem has been deleted because there was an issue with the rollout. More information is available in the answer section.


Click here for the answers