| Games for backgammon players: The DoubleOne
DoubleOne rules, playing tips, techniques, strategy... advice!When you learn DoubleOne you may think that it's easier than straight backgammon! But when you start to play this funny game, you will realize that this is only the first impression! DoubleOne is not easy but surely more amusing than other backgammon games, and further it helps a lot to improve players skills of playing doubles properly!
The opening is similar to Jail. All your checkers are placed in "r1" and all your opponent's checkers in "r24" (again you may leave 2-3 checkers in the row and you can keep the rest in your hand).
In DoubleOne, one checker in a row form a block, there is no hits of Straight Backgammon and no prisoners of Backgammon Jail Game. Seems funny?
The most amusing part of the game is when you roll a double, you will and must play all sets of doubles until the end, from big to small numbers. That means, if you roll a "double6" you must play: "double6" + "double5" + "double4" + "double3" + "double2" and finally "double1", all!
If you are not able to play a number, your rival will (and must!) play it, and the rest. For example, when you roll a "5+3" and you can play "3" but not able to play "5" because all relevant rows are blocked, your rival will play your "5" and roll the dices again for his/her turn.
Or you roll a "double5" and you can play only 3 "5", then your rival will play one "5" and full "double4" + "double3" + "double2" + "double1". What a pity! Let's play on the board. On the above board, first, you have played "6+5", then your rival played "double2", and you have played "double4" and your rival have played "6+4". Please simulate and follow the moves on your real board:
For "6+5" you have moved 1 checker from "r1" to "r12".
For "double2"
your rival have moved 1 checker from "r24" to "r18" and 1 checker from "r24" to "r22", and for "double1", 1 checker from "r22" to "r19", 1 checker from "r24" to "r23".
For "double4" you have moved 1 checker from "r1" to "r13", 1 checker from "r1" to "r5", for "double3" 1 checker from "r5" to "r14" and 1 checker from "r1" to "r4", for "double2" 1 checker from "r4" to "r10" and 1 checker from "r1" to "r3", for "double1" 1 checker from "r10" to "r11" and 1 checker from "r3" to "r6".
For "6+4"
your rival have moved 1 checker from "r19" to "r9".
The result of those 4 hands is the above picture! You have 4 important blocks on the route of your rival ("r11+12+13+14") - And believe me, it's much more easy to play than explain all that moves! Advanced Backgammon: DoubleOne - Planning hands!
DoubleOne rules, playing tips, techniques, strategy... advice!Because you must play all numbers and if you can't, your rival will play them, you must be careful in planning your steps before you move your checkers. In DoubleOne, as all other backgammon games, you can't say sorry and change your move after a checker lands on a row. It's final, no mercy!
Therefore calculate carefully before making your moves. This is especially crucial for doubles! Let's go back to our board and continue our game from the point we left. Suppose that you have rolled another double, a "double5". Today must be your lucky day! Besides jokes, the best way to learn DoubleOne is to play many doubles. In some point you will find yourself helpless and let your rival play your numbers while you
are biting your nails!
Now, your aim is to close your rival's route with at least 5 consecutive blocks. You will start with
"double5", 1 checker from "r1" to "r16" and 1 from "r1" to "r6", then
"double4", 1 checker from "r6" to "r14", 2 checkers from "r1" to "r5", then
"double3", 1 checker from "r1" to "r13", then
"double2", 1 checker from "r13"
to "r17", 1 checker from "r6" to "r10", then finally
"double1", 1 checker from
"r14" to "r15", 1 checker from "r5" to "r7", and the last from "r5" to
"r6".
The result is
8 consecutive blocks and 2 strategical blocks on "r6+r7" to help you step out
of your rival's home area ("r1 > r6"). But you could
play on a different and better way by blocking consecutively:
"r12+13+14+15+16+17 and r19" with "r7+6". As a gate to your home area, the "r19" is very important. If you like I'll leave you realize this as an exercise on your real backgammon board!
Now your
rival has few possibilities. Against your next attacks to block
"r19+20+21+22" he will try to secure those rows and make blocks in your home area. If
he will be successful the game may have a totally different look. Even you may lose the game. Advanced Backgammon: DoubleOne - How to bear off?
DoubleOne rules, playing tips, techniques, strategy... advice!The bear off process is similar to straight Backgammon or Jail. First you have to enter all your checkers into your home area and then start to bear off. But remember that you are playing all doubles, this means, even you have just entered your checkers into your home area, but your rival has started long time ago, and have for example 10 checkers on the bar, don't worry just roll a "double6"!
We hope you like DoubleOne and you will teach your friends how to play it. For any more information or assistance contact Backgammon Support
| |
