Backgammon is a race game. You have two options: try to win the race by advancing forward; or, give up on the race, make a prime, wait for a shot and hit it. If you choose (or are forced to choose) to hang back and wait – you’re playing a backgame, according to some earlier backgammon strategies. Contemporary theory has a more specific treatment of defensive strategies; and, the term “backgame” is used in a more limited sense.

Defensive structures often include one or more anchors. A single anchor on an advanced point (5, 4 or 3) is a holding game. A single anchor on a deep point (1, 2 or 3) is a deep anchor game. Advanced or deep anchor games have corresponding winning strategies; the 3 point, indicated twice, illustrates the difference. Early in the game it acts as an advanced anchor, covering the outer field and affording winning expectations by either hitting an outer field shot or simply winning the race. Later in the game, often behind a prime, it is similar to the deeper points, with winning strategies reduced to hitting a late shot in the bear-in or bear-off or rolling several large doubles.

The defining characteristic of a backgame is that the defensive structure includes two or more anchors. The backgame’s corresponding game plan is to hold both points as long as necessary, force your opponent to bear in or off awkwardly, hit a late shot and contain the blot behind a prime. Typically, the backgame anchors are deep and close together (1-2, 1-3, 2-3, 2-4). Keeping them back delays the moment when the winning shot comes and allows time to prepare a prime to contain the piece(s) you hit. If the defensive structure’s two anchors are widely separated (1-4, 1-5, 2-5) or are both advanced (3-4, 3-5, 4-5) either can be called a backgame. However, in practice, such structures usually don’t turn out to favor the same strategy as the deep anchor backgames. If the anchors are both advanced, one anchor is often lost and the game proceeds as a single anchor holding game. If the anchors are widely separated, one anchor can be lost and the game proceeds either as a holding game or a deep anchor game.

Is there a quasi-backgame? This may be the 1-5 game and there’s usually no reasonable possibility of holding both points until your opponent leaves a shot. Even if that is possible, the strategy isn’t nearly as threatening to your opponent as a deep anchor backgame. Consequently, you are often faced with deciding between holding the 5 point, giving up the ace point and losing the race; or, giving up the 5 point, allowing the ace point to be primed and getting gammoned.

If the defensive structure includes 3 or more anchors, it’s clearly a backgame. Typically, such structures afford excellent, winning chances. Nevertheless, if your shot comes before you’re ready, the result is often a gammon or backgammon loss.

Can a backgame be too big? Can you have too many points back? Of course. Players have been cautioned not to let a backgame opponent get too many pieces back. However, it’s ineffective to focus on how many pieces back is good or bad. Instead, look at the entire board. Whether more or fewer pieces back is bad or good depends on where they are, both players’ forward structures, and the crucial timing of preparing a prime to be ready when the awaited shot finally comes.

backgammon

Blackjack is one of famous card games at most casinos. Players love to play the game as it is not only depending on the chance to win, but if you are a skilled player who knows the blackjack strategies such as card counting technique, you can turn the odds into your favor and win more often. However, casinos still making good profit from blackjack although the game can be beaten by skilled players because most blackjack players lose most of times. What had made them lose if the game can be beat?

Below are 4 key reasons why most players lose, try to avoid them if you want to win at blackjack:

1. Players to get as close to 21 as possible

Most blackjack players keep hitting for cards to get as close to 21 as possible, but unfortunately they go burst and lose most of times. In fact, the objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer hand; you do not have to get close to 21 to win. The best strategy is to stand depending on your hand and the dealer’s up card. As long as you are holding a hand that has most chances to win the dealer, then you should stand instead of hit for more cards.

2. Players take insurance whenever they have blackjack

Taking insurance when you have a blackjack is one of stupidest betting decision because you are giving up 13 percent of the profit that a blackjack pays. In blackjack, taking insurance is usually a waste of money, it is a favor that makes highly profit to the house. You should only consider taking insurance in blackjack if you are an expert card counter.

3. Players are thinking that it will be their turn to win

Some players tend to play with Martingale technique where they keep double up their bet whenever they lose because they think that it will be their turn to win after the dealers have continuous win for many hands. But, they are wrong & they keep losing until they finish up their money or hit the maximum betting limit that stops them from double up their bet even though they have money. Martingale technique is one of the most dangerous techniques that can wipe up your money in very short period of time unless you have some strategies in place.

4. Don’t split the double 9s against the dealer’s 9

Many players will choose to stand instead of split them if they get double nine. It is a bad option especially if the dealer’s face up card is a 9. It is proven mathematically that a player will lose less money by splitting the double 9s than choosing to stand when the dealer’s face-up card is a 9. You should always assume that the dealer has a 10 in his face-down card. So, splitting the double 9s make you have a better chance to win. It is common practice in blackjack strategy guide to ask you to split the pair of nine unless the dealer has a seven, ten or ace on his face-up card.

blackjack

Welcome to the site for in-person free to enter poker tournaments in the Harrisburg area!

Do your really need an excuse to go to The Coliseum?  Now you have one.  Come on by and play Poker. . Directions click here

Your invited to to poker league tryouts every Tuesday & Wednesday at 8PM.

Points are based on the number of players entered in each weekly game, so come on in and make a name for yourself

Welcome to the site for in-person free to enter poker tournaments in the Harrisburg area!

Do your really need an excuse to go to The Coliseum?  Now you have one.  Come on by and play Poker. . Directions click here

Your invited to to poker league tryouts every Tuesday & Wednesday at 8PM.

Points are based on the number of players entered in each weekly game, so come on in and make a name for yourself

Points can be earned each week and are posted on our leader board page.

This your guide to the cities best public poker games and tournaments in the greater Harrisburg area! We pride ourselves on having the most accurate and complete listings available.

Harrisburg Poker was started when a few local poker players were having a hard time finding schedules for tournaments located in the Harrisburg area. After calling business after business to get their schedule, they decided to put the information they had collected to good use.

The founders of HarrisburgPoker.com still enjoy playing in local poker tournaments. Who knows, you might be sitting across from one of them right now!

poker

Welcome to the site for in-person free to enter poker tournaments in the Harrisburg area!

Do your really need an excuse to go to The Coliseum?  Now you have one.  Come on by and play Poker. . Directions click here

Your invited to to poker league tryouts every Tuesday & Wednesday at 8PM.

Points are based on the number of players entered in each weekly game, so come on in and make a name for yourself

717 Poker Tour runs a weekly poker game at Coliseum Camp Hill, every Tuesday night at 8PM.

Points can be earned each week and are posted on our leader board page. Points are based on the number of players entered in each weekly game, so come on in and make a name for yourself

The top 24 in points on Thursday will qualify to play in the Season 1 Championship Event.  Season 1 Championship Tournament will be Saturday 12/6/2008 game starts at 1PM.

 Coliseum tournament details:

 Starting stack:  700 chips

 Red    5 – 4 

Blue    10 – 3

Green  50 – 5

Black  100 -4

 http://717pokertour.com/

Welcome to the site for in-person free to enter poker tournaments in the Harrisburg area!

Do your really need an excuse to go to The Coliseum?  Now you have one.  Come on by and play Poker. . Directions click here

Your invited to to poker league tryouts every Tuesday & Wednesday at 8PM.

Points are based on the number of players entered in each weekly game, so come on in and make a name for yourself

Mr Check Raise