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| Kit Woolsey and RedTop Chat Excerpts | |
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The MSN Gaming Zone would like to thank Kit Woolsey and RedTop for joining us. This chat was held on October 3 in the Zone's Theater Chat Room. We'd also like to thank our Zone Members who participated in the chat. Keep your eyes open on the Theater Chat Page for future scheduled chats.
-MSN Gaming Zone -
%dstairs_Host> Kit Woolsey is one of the world's leading game players and theorists. He has been a top-flight Backgammon player for 25 years. His most recent tournament success was second place in the 1997 World Cup, Backgammon's most exacting test of skill, and he has numerous other tournament wins and high finishes. In the last international poll of experts, he was ranked the #9 player in the world. He is the publisher and editor of GammOnLine, the first online Backgammon magazine (www.GammOnLine.com), and has been a regular contributor to Inside Backgammon, Chicago Bar Point, and Flint Area Backgammon News. His Backgammon publications include the books "How To Win at Tournament Backgammon" and "New Ideas In Backgammon." Kit is also an extremely successful bridge player, with 16 U.S. national championships to his credit, and was world champion in 1986. His bridge books include "Partnership Defense" and "Matchpoints." Kit has been a market maker on the options floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange for 14 years. He lives with his wife Sally in Kensington, CA. Thanks Kit for agreeing to spent some of your very valuable time with us.
Zox_> In your MatchQiz on Snowie, you disagree with a lot of the computer analyses. any comments?
KitWoolsey> Snowie isn't perfect (although it is probably better than I am). Still there are position types that it doesn't handle as well as human experts, and some of these may fall into that category. On balance, however, I'd bet on Snowie's opinions over mine. ZNO1> Hi :) Two question please: 1) Why didn't you run with 5-3 roll in that game? 2) In which rolls are you going to free drop (when you are rolling first or your opponent does)? If you can be that specific :) KitWoolsey> Do you mean breaking the anchor and playing 21/13? Seemed too risky -- better to use the 13 checkers up front to attack. ZNO1> Even though it caused you trouble later? KitWoolsey> When I get opening roll, I never free drop. When opponent does, I need a better roll -- a hit, doubles, or good point-maker -- otherwise use free drop. didn't cause me trouble -- I made prime and won. _Pool_Shark> In a nutshell Kit, what is the best way for novice BG players to improve their game? Besides just playing. I have no live opponents to play against. KitWoolsey> Read all you can, try to understand the reasons experts make their plays. Snowie and Jellyfish are excellent tools -- purchase them and make the most of them -- understand what they are telling you. Dicegenie> How do you calculate your odds of winning a game? KitWoolsey> I don't calculate them, except maybe at the end of a race. that is too complex for us mere mortals. I estimate them, based on my experience, intuition, gut feeling, etc. etc. etc. Nite__mare> Besides the obvious, what is the most important mathematical concept to Backgammon? Counting shots, match equity, or what? KitWoolsey> Actually I use very little math when I play -- mostly go on estimates and feel. Shot counting is important only when that is the ONLY consideration, which almost never happens. Match equities can be important, but common sense usually will get you to a close answer without any math at all. Backgammon just isn't a mathematical game. epiphany100> For RedTop: 20/20 hindsight being what it is, any thoughts you care to share on your accepting the cube in that first game (i.e. - Why did you accept it at that point)? RedTop> I didn't think it was close. He had some crushing threats but it was by no means clear he could carry them out. I'll have Snowie's analysis of the double in just a couple minutes. KitWoolsey> I agree -- pretty clear take. In fact, I thought it was the double that was close. Michelsen> Kit, how do you think the Internet has helped Backgammon. Has it brought the game more players, or for the most part merely given frustrated Backgammon players a good outlet? KitWoolsey> The Internet has made it possible to find a good game at any time. Certainly brought more players, and made it more feasible to play. I have probably played more in last 5 years than previously. Also met some very nice people. omhamtj> At 2-away vs. 2-away the bots always seem to double on the first roll. What is your opinion of this? KitWoolsey> They are correct. Period. Not an opinion -- a demonstrable fact, as I have been showing people for years. _LQQK_its_QT> Where do you find your books and what is the cost of them? or the computer programs you speak of ... and thanks again for your time and Red for putting this together? KitWoolsey> My books are published by gammon press. The programs are available through the web, I believe. Go to any good Backgammon link (my gammonline site will do), and you should find what you want by following the links. Dicegenie> Where do the top players play on line? What are some of their nicks? Any on the Zone? And how often do you guys disagree on game winning probability? KitWoolsey> Probably the best players play mostly on GamesGrid, with FIBS close behind. Don't know much about the Zone. How often do we disagree about a position? All the time. _SwedeMax> For how many years have you played Backgammon and how many hours in average do you spend playing every week ? KitWoolsey> I've been playing Backgammon over 30 years. Hours per week can vary a lot -- maybe 10 or 15 on average. RedTop> The Snowie analysis of the match is now on the web at /TimesSquare/Realm/1534/matches/KitWoolsey.html. RedTop> It says that I won the match, ignore that, Snowie has some problems with incomplete matches. katrina_xox> Kit, how much attention do you pay to the rolls of your opponent as far as it influencing your moves? Want to play me? *smile* (only kidding) KitWoolsey> Not sure I understand. I try to make the best move in the current position, taking into account the various rolls my opponent might make. What he has rolled in the past of course has no bearing on things at all. ollitrop> For RedTop & KitWoolsey: What Backgammon computer program and book you recommend if only one of each can be acquired (I live in Puerto Rico)? RedTop> I'd suggest Jellyfish because it's free at jelly.effect.no. KitWoolsey> Both Snowie and Jellyfish Equally good -- just which interface you like. For introduction, Magriels book "Backgammon" is clearly best. JustHereFangs> There is always a lot of discussion about the "randomness" of the dice here (or lack thereof), and while 4 games is not a large number of rolls, do you have any opinion of the randomness here? RedTop> I've done an extensive analysis of the dice on the Zone. You can see it at www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Realm/1534/Zone.html KitWoolsey> Completely random as far as I can tell. No reason to think otherwise. bash714> When you play, do you play every week do you mostly play against a program(which one) or the Internet (what site). KitWoolsey> Mostly on the Internet, either on gamesgrid or fibs. john152> Your article in Gammonline on 5 away strategy was great. What should I read next on the subject? KitWoolsey> Well, I could immodestly suggest "How to play tournament Backgammon." diamndjm> OF the debatable opening rolls which rolls do you consider the most debatable and what would be your opening moves? KitWoolsey> Except for 3-1, 4-2, 5-3, 6-5, and 6-1 then are all debatable. I don't have a fixed way of playing any of the others -- might depend on opponent, match score, mood, etc. I suggest trying all the possibilities so you get familiar with them all. |
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