The Crawford Rule is an important rule in backgammon that comes into play when one player is one point away from winning the match. In this situation, the player who is behind cannot double their opponent, even if they would normally be able to. This is called the Crawford game.
If the player who is behind has a chance to win a double game, they may be tempted to take risks to try to win a gammon (winning by two or more points), especially if they are behind by a significant margin. However, in the Crawford game, it is generally not worth taking this risk, as winning the game will allow the opponent to double in the next game. Therefore, if the player behind wins the game, it doesn’t matter if the score is 14-13 or 14-14, as the opponent will be able to double in the next game either way.
This principle also applies when the player behind needs an odd number of points to win the match. In this case, winning a double game does not provide a significant advantage, as the player can win the match with single games or a combination of single and double games. Therefore, it is not worth taking risks to try to win a gammon in the Crawford game.
On the other hand, if the player who is ahead is playing in the Crawford game and their opponent needs an odd number of points to win the match, they can take more risks to try to win the game, as they do not need to worry about losing a gammon. However, they should still be careful not to lose a triple game (losing by three or more points), which could allow their opponent to win the match with a subsequent double game.
It is important to note that these principles only apply when the player behind needs an odd number of points to win the match. If the player behind needs an even number of points, then winning a gammon is a significant advantage and it may be worth taking more risks to try to achieve this.
Free drop
In the game of backgammon, a “free drop” is a situation where a player can refuse a double without improving their opponent’s chances of winning the game. This typically occurs when the player is within one point of winning the match but has a significant lead over their opponent.
For example, if a player is leading 14-9 in a match to 15, and their opponent doubles them at the beginning of the game, the player can refuse the double without giving their opponent any advantage. If the opponent needs an even number of points to win the match, dropping one double will not help them.
However, it is important to note that a player only has one free drop. If their opponent doubles them again and they refuse, it will count as a normal loss. Additionally, if their opponent needs an odd number of points to win the match, a free drop is not possible and the player must accept the double or risk losing the match.
Overall, knowing when to use a free drop can be a strategic advantage in backgammon, as it can help preserve a lead and avoid unnecessary risks.