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BGonline.org Forums
An epistomology of Backgammon. Marc Brockmann Olsen. Backgammon: Pure Strategy.
Posted By: Phil Simborg In Response To: An epistomology of Backgammon. Marc Brockmann Olsen. Backgammon: Pure Strategy. (Michael)
Date: Friday, 22 December 2017, at 1:49 p.m.
I will attempted to give you a direct answer to your question:
"My question is: Do you think that framework is easy to apply Otb? More importantly is it accurate? Can you give us some examples?"
As to the second part of your question, read the book. The book is full of examples. You cannot expect to get a full understanding of Marc's approach from a thread on BGOnline.
As to the first part, I don't think it is Marc's goal to have the reader learn how to take apart each position and move, over the board, in complete detail as he does in the book. But by learning how to look at a position as Marc suggests, once you truly do internalize it, you should be able to have very quick and more insightful recognition of the key factors when you are playing that will help lead you to the right decision.
I believe that many approaches we use to understand backgammon positions (such as Woolsey's Law and O'Hagan's Law) cannot be done fully and completely over the board in a reasonable amount of time, but once the concepts are learned well, you can approximate them relatively quickly and fairly well over the board without going into the complete detail you do when analyzing a position independently in study. I believe this applies to Marc's concepts and approach as well.
Marc, himself, is living proof of his approach given his very low PR and his amazing result on Mochy's quiz (I don't remember the exact score but I believe it was the highest ever scored on any of Mochy's quizzes by anyone.)
Now, having said that, I am not sure Marc's approach will resonate for everyone...and I am not sure that it is the "best" approach to analyzing a position, as there are others, and there are reference positions for many types of games that might serve even better for that particular type of position. And everyone learns and thinks differently. But every new and different way at looking at a subject is helpful and adds insights, as I do believe in the saying that "every disciplined action reaps multiple rewards."
So while I believe the approach that Marc illustrates in his book may be too advanced and complex for many intermediates (I think I can speak with some authority as I have probably taught more intermediates than just about anyone), and even for some open players, I believe it might well be a terrific set of tools for many open players and some intermediates. And I believe that everyone can get some benefits and insights from the book and the approach.
That is why I have publicly endorsed the book and recommend it. I am not about to say it is the best or only approach as I am not sure that is correct and I do not believe I am qualified to make such a statement about any approach.
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