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Slots Blots & Splits
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Not to be confused with the law firm, Slots Blots and Splits who have since gone out of business for their practice of slotting in cases, blotting their copy book with false evidence and splitting with the proceeds.
No, our Slots Blots & Splits are the key movements in backgammon strategies to produce winning moves.
Slotting can often lead to complexity in the game and should be used sparingly Splitting is a much simpler approach, while the blots are used to safeguard positions that otherwise are prone to attack.
For opening rolls the following combination offers the Split or slot rolls. 21, 41, 51
There are two ways to play this, but let's look at what we're trying to do here.
- Make points
- Get ready to move the back checkers
- Release the heavy points
In the 1970’s everybody at that time slotted with the one, i.e. played 6/5.They did not split or expose the back pieces, (by the 24/23) it was too dangerous a play, to split the back checkers unnecessarily in the opening. Better to slot the key points and try to make them next roll if possible.
Little thought was given to the outcome of such a strategy.
Thirty ears on and the PC age has shown us new ways to operate this movement. The old school will probably still opt for the 70's approach, whilst the more techie types will pursue the computers suggestions.
Slotting the 5-pt by playing 6/5 suggests a play that you're trying to reach your own 5-pt as quickly as possible. If the opposition misses the blot then you will be a favourite to take the point on your next throw. From here on its anybodies guess as to how the game pans out, in similar positions it becomes a prime versus prime e game, the most difficult of all backgammon games.
Though it is wrong to generalize, stronger players tend to use slot play more than the less competent players, who prefer splitting to slotting.
In tournament play the player out in front will try to make splits, as they can lead to more gammons, where as the trailing player needs to go for slots for a greater chance of achieving gammons.
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