Paradoxes and Probabilities

Barclay Cooke     1978     184pp
Random House     ISBN:0394501268

168 problems, most of which are very interesting. Current thinking is that solutions to about a third of them are wrong, but the analysis gives very good insight into how Cooke, a first-generation world class player, thought about backgammon.

Cooke's Paradoxes & Probabilities is way off the beam, because it purports to treat more delicate decision-making, but does so erroneously, potentially causing severe damage to your game.

I really got a lot out of Barclay Cooke's Paradoxes & Probabilities. It's a book of many plausible situations, showing you the roll and asking how to move. Answers are provided, with analysis of course. Many of the situtations are similar to ones that occur every day. The good thing about this book is that many of the answers show a move which is slightly better than the obvious one. After reading and thinking, you'll probably agree that the suggested move is the best. Making moves which are subtlely better than the obvious will move you to that next level of gammon. Even if some of the analysis is not completely correct, the methods are an excellent learning tool.

This is my favorite backgammon book, for the following reason.

It's pretty well-known that about a third of Cooke's solutions are just plain wrong, although they were almost certainly beyond question in their time.

Because of this, I read Paradoxes and Probabilities with a more skeptical eye than when I'm reading contemporary backgammon literature. I tend to think more and analyze more, rather than just believing the answers without question. I suspect that Paradoxes and Probabilities has done more for my game than, say, Magriel.

Much has been written about this book's errors. I agree, but find great value in them nonetheless.

I like Cooke's books, and Paradoxes and Probabilities in particular, because they show that certain moves have hidden value, principally "timing advantage" that runs counter to racing advantage. If you are schooled in modern racing-oriented positional ideas, then you might overlook plays that depend on timing advantage.

Of course racing is far, far more important than timing to the great majority of backgammon decisions. And that is why it is so instructive to come across examples where the opposite is true. If you aspire to top-notch play, then you have to be able to judge those cases where normal racing tactics are worse than timing-oriented tactics. No book does this better than Paradoxes and Probabilities.

My advice: find a copy, and work through the problems. Try to make up your own mind as to whether Cooke's solution is better. Once you get the hang of timing problems, play a few training games where you go all out to obtain a timing advantage. You will be going overboard, it is true, but it is worth doing so that you can explore a style of play you may not be familiar with.

Other book reviews welcome! Email them to DocMartin@Gammoned.com

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