Backgammon Quiz: The Golden Point

GM Marc Olsen presents the 10 positions of this quiz and analyzes them afterwards. Bring out your pen and paper and do the quiz yourself!

[aaronharsh]

This is the best backgammon analysis video on YouTube! Clear explanations of important topics.

[alfaalfa]

Thanks for the quiz, Marc. I consider myself as a good player (over 2500 in Galazxy). But I´ve got just 3 wright answers!!! I didn´t look (at all) at the pip count. Very good lesson.

[am]

A tremendous video, thank you so much, great way to teach the pros/cons of the 3 options. One point perhaps: if you get one "wrong" by 0.02 points (i.e. the top 2 answers virtualy tied) that's not so bad vs a 0.2 blunder -- maybe a better way to score is the total of your error gap to the best choice across the 10.

[jeremypmerrill]

Love this content. Great for all levels.

[rufust.firefly]

I enjoy these quizzes. Hope you continue w/them. Too embarrassed to divulge my ineptitude. I learned a lot.

[damjanplesec]

great school of 5th point, hope you will continue with similar things, thank you

[RainersBackgammonComeback]

Got 8 right. Messed up #5 and #7. Thanks for the quiz Phil, and thanks for the great explanations and video production Marc!!!

[mackenzieusher]

Timestamps for answers:
1) 9:48
2) 13:52
3) 14:24
4) 17:13
5) 21:20
6) 24:20
7) 26:14
8) 29:28
9) 33:11
10) 39:54

[orenmedicks]

Fantastic video with great learning value. Well done! very creative.

[chriswhite]

Excellent and very informative video Marc. learnt a lot, especially about positional strategy in prime/race/blitz positions

[whoisthis]

Thank you, great lesson. Very insightful analysis :)

[MrKirknel]

Amazing quiz, and great explanations!

[francoforleo]

I got 4… I hope you’ll continue with these quizzes 🙏

[abeschechter]

Great video Marc, please keep them coming. I got 7 correct and the ones I missed were supper close... I would have gotten 1 more correct had I payed attention to the race

[michaelgreholm]

Thank you Marc for this instructive quiz. I learned some and more important got some tools for deciding between moves. 4 of the problems left me deep in the robes - I hope that I will be able to remember the usefull guidelines.

[bradrosenberg]

Excellent quiz Mark! How about a quiz when to leave or stay from your opponent’s 5 point.

[gunterweber]

Very good quiz and very good content in the explanations. I got only 5 and was a little bit disappointed, cause my GR is over 2400. But I have have always problems if there are 2 or more good alternatives. Now I got some good rules. Ty very much, Marc. Please more such dood content.

[LucaSiljeFerrall]

I got 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 correct and then 5 & 6 not being blunders but only the second best move. I have a question to number 9 though (33:00 min. in) I still haven't figured out what the numbers to the far right in Galaxy's analysis means? For instans +0, 619 and -0, 063 etc. But the small numbers underneath are the percentage for winning, gammon and the 3rd number backgammon right?
Then why is 23/16* the best option when it's 0, 1% lower than the 9/5 8/5 option in regards to winning? So when 9/5 8/5 gives the highest chance of winning why is it then listed as the third best option?
I chose 9/5 8/5, thinking that it increases my chances from 33, 3% till 50% that the opponent can't get out, + he only have 9 checkers in the priming area, making blitzing (and priming?) less efficient should he try, and there's now 50% chance that I still get an opportunity to hit the blot on 16

[EliJolleyBridge]

Wow, tough quiz! I was amazed as to how crucial the race was. I don't consider the race a lot in these early mid game positions unless I already have a back checker escaped or have an advanced anchor. I think from watching and hearing how valuable our 5 point is I defaulted to that play because it is mostly right and if it isn't, then it is just a little wrong. I need to rethink this whenever I have the option of making my opponents 5...Thanks again!

[michaelh]

Got anymore of those quizzes? I'm feigning. lol