Ken Larsen’s Web Site - Backgammon Tips
Doubling Cube Tip #1
Double immediately in all post-Crawford games!
Here is a simple tip that can improve your odds of winning a backgammon match:
If your opponent is 1 point away from winning the match, double your opponent immediately at the start of your next game. Why? Answer: because you have nothing to lose! If you lose the next game, the match is over. Therefore, you might as well double and make the next game worth as much as possible.
Of course, you can’t do this if it’s the Crawford Game, but at all other times, it’s legal.
Example: I witnessed a 3 point match where player A reached the score of 2-0 over player B. Per the Crawford rule, player B could not double in the next game, because that game was the “Crawford Game”. Player B then won the game bringing the match score to 2-1. During the following game – which was after the Crawford Game - Player B did not double. Player B went on to win the game raising the match score to 2-2. In the final game Player A prevailed and won the match 3-2 – a match that player B would have won if she had doubled at the start of the post-Crawford game.
Note: The above incident is a very common oversight.
The moral is: Unless it’s the Crawford game, double at your earliest opportunity when your opponent is one point away from victory. This will improve your match winning percentage!
Good luck!