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| Do you rather choose something adventurous instead of the ordinary? Are you a devotee of the famous backgammon? If you answered with yes to the previous questions then a variant of Backgammon called Hyper-backgammon is the best game-choice for you! Hyper-backgammon has been developed lately and it is still on the increase. This article will describe the game itself focusing on the features that make Hyper-backgammon so popular. But prior to this description, you should know that this backgammon type is speedier and more enjoyable than the original version. That’s why it has more and more enthusiastic players. So it’s time for you to join the hyper-backgammon fan team! |
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First, let’s make a comparison between the traditional and the hyper-backgammon! This way you’ll get familiarized with the goals and the result of the game, with moving, beating, entering and bearing off checkers, and also with some interesting additional information based on case studies. The most eye-catching difference is that in regular backgammon there are fifteen pieces for each player, while in hyper-backgammon this number is three. However, both games are played rolling the dice in turn and moving the pieces in the opposite way around the checkerboard. Both have to be played by two players, on a board which has 24 strait triangles or points. These triangles form four groups (all of which consists of six triangles), and these have special names: home, yard, opponent’s home and the opponent’s yard. The division line between the home and the yard is called a bar. The points are enumerated separately for the players, always starting with players’ home and finally reaching point number 24, which in turn is point number one for the other player.
What should you know about the setup position of the checkers? As you know by now, each player starts only with three checkers: the first in point number 24, the second in 23 and the third in 22. Players also have their own pair of dice with an extra cup used to make the rolls. The sides of the cube are the following: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64; and this cube help players to have information on the stakes of the game.
Let’s see what is the main target of the game? You should move your pieces into your home board and then bear these off the checkerboard. If you’re the first in doing this, you are the winner! It’s quite easy, isn’t it?
Let’s move on to talk about the details concerning the Hyper-backgammon game! In the beginning players are to roll a dice which helps in determining who is first and with which numbers one is going to start the game. In case both players have an equal roll, they should repeat this action until the rolls differ. After this, turn comes for the player who has the highest roll to move his or her pieces appropriately. Next, players throw two dice one by one and move accordingly.
Do you want to find out more about the rules? The basics are as follows. First, checkers may be moved only to a so-called ‘open’ point, which means the point cannot be occupied by 2-3 pieces of the other colour. Second, one can make their moves only according to the rolls. This might imply separate moves as well. Let’s look at an example! If you roll a 5 and a 2, you either move one piece by two spaces, and another by five or you move one piece by seven spaces (two plus five). But this last version is available only if the intermediate point is open as well. Intermediate in our case means a distance of two or five spaces from the initial position. Throwing a double is possible, and this implies that the player moves two times. Let’s see how! A double made up of two 5s means 4 moves by five points in a chosen combination. Finally, players have to use both thrown numbers and in case playing a number is possible, players are obliged to play this. If one is unable to make a move, then the other player is in turn. In case of a double one must try to make the maximum possible moves.
Are you interested how can you hit and enter a piece? If black checkers rolled a 6-5, but one piece is on bar, the checker should be entered into the 5th or 6th points in the ‘white’ home. If both are occupied, the player forfeits his or her moves. But in case the player is able to introduce only some of his or her checkers, he or she must enter all possible pieces with forfeiting the remaining moves. When all the pieces are taken off from the bar, the unused numbers can be used by moving any checkers. A terminological issue is the ‘blot’ which refers to the point on which there is only one checker. This might be considered as an advantage for the player who has his or her checker on the blot.
The last question referring to the game itself is how can one bear off checkers? This may start only after all of the player’s checkers are moved into his or her home. In this case the player has to make a throw of two dice and bear off those checkers which are placed on the appropriate points. As an example, if one rolls 5 points, he or she can bear off a piece from the fifth point. In case a checker is hit during bearing off, the player has to move his or her piece back to home.
The scoring is similar to the traditional backgammon. This means if you win, you usually get one point. However, if you have a gammon, you get two points, and in case of backgammon, you get three points. But don’t forget these extra points are valid only if you had a played double in the game.
Let’s talk about some peculiarities! First of all, have you ever heard about ‘Dave’? In case of playing for money you will have a fixed stake for each point that you win. Games start with the stake of one point. While playing, if you feel that you have a greater advantage you might propose Dave, which means you double the stakes. This can be done only before your turn starts, namely before you roll the dice. The other player, who accepts Dave, becomes the cube owner which means he or she is the only one who can redouble the stakes. However, if you pass your turn after announcing Dave, you forfeit the game with losing one point.
Second, what does it mean Mart or Koks? These refer to the end of the game. In case you lose the game, but you manage to bear off the board one piece, you lose a number of points that has been on cube or you simply lose one point, if nobody announced Dave. Nevertheless, if you lose without bearing off any pieces from the board, you lose Mart, namely a doubled amount. Moreover, Mart may transform into Koks, if any of your checkers remains on bar or at your opponent’s home. In this latter case, you lose a tripled amount.
You should know that there are several additional Hyper-backgammon rules. Auto-double for instance refers to the situation when both players’ rolls are equal in points in the first turn. This implies that stakes are automatically doubled. This interesting rule is applied if playing for money because it means a higher hazard. Jacoby Rule may also be used, referring to Mart’s and Koks’ scores. These are counted as one point, if nobody has announced Dave throughout the game. This rule may eliminate such controversies as avoiding the announcement of Dave because of the intention of playing Mart.
Finally, let’s discuss the past and the future of Hyper-backgammon! Backgammon is said to have been popular worldwide for many centuries. Can you believe that its very first versions played by the Persians date back thousands of years? After this initial version, backgammon was developed and has spread in the Middle East and Europe. Hyper-backgammon is one of its recent versions that became well-known because of its defining features and its speed.
Another characteristic that makes Hyper-backgammon exciting is the computer play. What do you have to know about your most dangerous opponent, the computer? Practically one thing is clear: the computer is unbeatable. Why? Listen carefully! This backgammon version was developed by a world champion player, Hugh Sconyers, who has calculated the features of all the 32 million possible positions of Hyper-backgammon. This means the game has been solved, as there are normative moves for all the possible standings. That’s why if you play against the computer, you have the most impressive opponent, so you can benefit from these games a lot! Enjoy your game either with a ‘traditional’ or with a virtual opponent, but more importantly, good luck! |
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