Backgammon Beyond Beginner: 8. Blitz (1 of 2)

[@leilik7038]

I just discovered you 9 years after you made these! I hope you’ve been well, and come back! I’m an excited beginner and loving your videos. You’ve totally changed my game already

[@perrykarfunkel7064]

Forgetting the focused points below, I'd just look at the big picture. These tutorials are WONDERFUL, with excellent explanations of why each potential move is good, bad or just not very good. Excellent for early-on players, especially since it gives them the viewpoint of an experienced player so they can develop their own detailed thinking. Thanks SO much for what clearly has been great effort in putting this together !!

[@chrisjackson2815]

I've been playing backgammon for 0ver 35 years and have learned so much from your videos. better than all the books combined. please post more...YOU ROCK! THANK YOU!!!

[@mattiassvanstrom9835]

Hi. I found your tutorials through a KZbin search. I must say that I like your style of teaching, with a slow and steady pace and a very thorough approach. Even though I knew the rules to the game before, these mid-level tutorials has made me interested in the game again. Super-mega-thanks for taking the time to produce these!

[@underwatercman]

You sir, are a legend. This is the only video I could find that is this thorough and well explained. Keep up the good work!

[@salehsaleh5988]

I have to say it; you made me love the backgammon game really even though i just started knowing about it yesterday & almost finished watching your videos.. you are the best , thanks alot

[@RunielNalovir597]

Are you going to start making these again at all? You're how I learned to play backgammon, and I'd love to see more videos from you. You've given me one of my favorite things to do with family, and the occasional friend I can convince to learn to play. Besides, you only said you'd stop for "a little while." And, at least in my opinion, I think 4 years is more than a little while. ;) Anyway, PLEASE, if you can, start making these again. Thank you. :)

[@greeneking77]

Thanks for all these backgammon vids! I don't care if you are no longer making them, I'm subbing!

[@AyrtonTwigg]

Video starts at 2:06

[@corinne2794]

I just found your videos and already have increased my rating in just a day. TY! but... completely bummed that you stopped the tutorials, ur a great teacher :)

[@liamvisser01]

I love your video's. Me and my father always wondered how to play Backgammon because it seemed kind of a Nice game! In one day we learned how to play and love to play it too. So Nice to know how to play this game after all those years trying to find out how it actually works.

[@Ensor42]

It's nice to be in demand :) Seriously though, thanks for the compliment. Although I haven't ruled out the possibility of doing more, I'll be up front in saying that I have no immediate plans to do so. Among other reasons, since my old PC died, the compatibility between the camera equipment I used for these videos and my new PC is a nightmare. Regardless, I still really appreciate yours and other viewers' support. Cheers.

[@swingingsailor]

Hello, thank you for these videos. It would be very nice to see you continue this series!

[@Ensor42]

That's very kind of you. Thanks for commenting :)

[@WalksSlow]

Is it time to get back to some new backgammon content? Your videos are the best I've found on the topic anywhere. Excellent explanations and production values. Sure would enjoy new insights. :-)

[@Ensor42]

That's a huge question! - entire books have been written attempting to fully explore the strategies involved. Generally, reasoned aggressive play is a recipe for backgammon success, but reckless aggression is more problematic. The usual counter play for constant hitting is to play a "back game". In this, a player often allows extra checkers to be hit, in order to create "anchors", or points, in the opponent's home board, which help to get hits in the late game. Difficult to explain in brief.

[@as680783]

Well. More than four years later and people are still watching these excellent videos. I hadn't the slightest interest in Backgammon until I happened upon one of your videos. I've now watched more than half your series and loving the game nearly as much as chess. I'm even investing in a small, large, and a vintage Harrods board from eBay. These to go with the set I started off with that's a magnetic travellers set. I'm even teaching the missus and she even loves the game too. Actually, I was struggling to increase my ratings in chess but in Backgammon I've found something I can play with a natural aptitude. If you can get such a thing for natural flare in Backgammon. For some reason I feel like I can play the game and win without giving it too much thought. Obviously, I'm a beginner and haven't encountered any decent players, but I feel this is something I could really end up being good at. I rarely brag about anything, and hate to come over as such. I just seem to have found something I'm fairly good at from the outset. THANK YOU Ensor42. You are truly amazing! Craig

[@Ensor42]

CP Ash Hi. From the way you describe your feelings when playing backgammon, I would be inclined to think that you may well have a somewhat natural affinity for the game. I remember feeling exactly that way during my first few years of play - almost as if you can play on autopilot. However, I hope you don't mind if I recommend caution. Assuming backgammon moves can be played without too much thought can be a dangerously losing mindset. My advice would be to get hold of a top quality piece of backgammon software - Extreme Gammon or similar - and play repeatedly against the AI at its highest skill settings. It will hopefully be both a humbling, and extremely instructive experience, as it was for me. Anyway, thanks again for your support, and good luck :)

[@as680783]

Ensor42 Cheers Ensor. The caution is noted, and I will indeed throw myself into the bear-pit of humility and invest in the software you suggest. Best regards and wishes. Craig PS. Have you ever considered doing some chess videos for absolute beginners? I think your style and presentation would be a breath of fresh air for people who want and need the _patient teacher_ approach.

[@Ensor42]

CP Ash I did consider doing a chess series, but I felt that in order to teach effectively, I would need to be a better chess player. My chess game is very rusty these days, and even when I might have been considered a reasonable player, I was never as good as I would be at backgammon or Scrabble.

[@murraywood4645]

watching this on the 25/2/19. Learnt the game about a year ago and need to learn more advanced strategy to beat the father in law!! thanks for the video! =]

[@RunielNalovir597]

Hey Ensor42, When are you going to start making more videos? Its been two years, and I want more of your videos!! Please?

[@Ensor42]

@Trevoc2 Yes, it's a valuable thing to remember, that on occasion, you will lose to what you may perceive to be lower skilled opposition. That's part of the beauty of the luck element, but of course the aim is to win in the long term. It's a bit like playing against loose aggressive players in poker - it can be a winning strategy, so you must adapt your play to counter them.

[@Ensor42]

@jazzuboo Ah, that's really terrific to hear. This is just the sort of thing that I was hoping to accomplish when I started doing these. That early scene in Lost certainly was very evocative - I'll wager that quite a few people first took an interest in the game because of that :) Good luck to you and your son with your backgammon.

[@Trevoc2]

Interesting video....first time I've seen backgammon video online. Good job! About blitzing, I've been playing for 30+ years, and have played some reckless players who think blitzing everything in sight is how to play. You'd think they would lose, but these loose cannons have actually managed to beat me a few times. They can be beat, but sometimes, like a man with gun, you need to get out of the way from these nuts.

[@Tigiras1]

I have pretty much taught myself how to play backgammon.Where I play doesn't have the doubling. After seeing this video I would like to ask is there a way to beat a constantly aggressive player? Thank you so much for your videos.

[@Ensor42]

Hi, thanks for the kind comment. To answer your question; no, blitz plays are many and varied. I was just using a common starting point to illustrate the strategy. A blitz play is more of a decision by a player to pursue an all out attack, rather than a prescribed set of moves or positions. Players must decide if a situation is suitable for this tactic, or consider if all out attack would actually be a reckless mistake. It's all about judging the risk/reward, as is so much in Backgammon.

[@Ensor42]

@shlomonew No, first two minutes explaining the situation with the videos and taking time to thank people for kindly watching and subscribing etc. It's a matter of courtesy and politeness. It is a sad state of affairs indeed if one cannot use a mere couple of moments for such things.

[@Trevoc2]

Most players focus on returning to home board, and any time I play, my goal is to block them. If two players both try to make it home, they are bound to hit each other, but if you focus on preventing their effort to move to their home, you can then begin to blitz because they often will end up accumulating pieces on your home base.

[@Ensor42]

@HeldThread Thanks so much for the patience and understanding. It's comments like these that really motivate me to try to find the time to get more vids done.

[@Trevoc2]

@Ensor42 Well said at the end of your comment, that you need to adapt to their strategy. that means, if you are a blocker like me, you have to be more aggressive, or find that moment when you know you've got them cornered and all their "blitzing" will only separate them from pieces and thus making it hard to create a counter block strategy. I hate losing to aggressive players who have no clue what they are doing.

[@as680783]

What size is the board you are using in the video Ensor? Is your other one the same size?

[@Ensor42]

CP Ash The one used in the videos I think was a 15 inch. The two others I have are a 23 inch, and a 27 inch.

[@as680783]

Ensor42 27"? Is that a size used for tournaments, or is it over sized in that respect?

[@Ensor42]

CP Ash It's a decent size for tournaments, though in my experience, there aren't any sort of strict dimensions rules as to what size should be used, other than it be sensibly big enough for smooth dice rolls etc. Anything 21 inch or over should be fine.

[@as680783]

Ensor42 I've won two a 15" an 18" (eBay) and a 21" brand new one from Amazon UK. I think each will serve its purpose for me. I've also made sure they are all felt inner lined to minimise the dice noise. Thanks again for all the advice. Do you belong to a Backgammon club? I don't know a single person in real life who plays the game or has any idea how to play it. Such a shame.

[@kujan71]

First of all: just great Backgammon tutorials! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. One question about the blitz: Is it necessary to hit both opponents checkers during the opening to start such a blitz-game? Thank you! :-)

[@Ensor42]

@EvelcyclopS Oh I do humbly apologise - I must have missed the clause in the KZbin terms of service that states that uploaders must cram every nanosecond of their output with apposite information, and not, for example, take a moment out of courtesy to thank their viewers for their support.

[@gregfl]

What is your handle of MOB? I would like to play some games with you, if I haven't already. Peace.

[@Ensor42]

An appropriate username you have there :) I don't know which is funnier, your need to assert that you would "dominate" me, or your inability to even FIND a free site, let alone want to PLAY high level backgammon only on a free site. Are you familiar with the term "pigeon" in a backgammon context?

[@martysafterhours]

would have been so scary if this vid was posted on 10 sep 2001

[@ElatedBlowfish]

You need to add a time stamp in your description of when the actual video begins for the people who don't care (90% of us) about your cliche KZbin intro.

[@Plainsimple67]

GETTING THE GOOD DICE IS A MAJOR FACTOR IN BACKGAMON, "PERIOD".

[@edwardleonard2944]

skip to 6:50 in this vid,, rest is not helpfull

[@EvelcyclopS]

1:30 of not backgammon strategy

[@EvelcyclopS]

@Ensor42 Apology accepted.