Game Timing

Have you ever rolled double-5's or double 6's – thought it was a good roll – and then, a roll or two later, you realize you're in trouble?

When you are in a non-contact position, high rolls are always good. But sometimes your game depends on getting your checkers home without being hit. If you are ahead in pip count, your opponent can often leave checkers back to try to hit you.

When one side has a significant lead in pip count, both sides need to be sensitive to timing. Suppose you are trailing in the race by, say, 30 pips. You have an anchor in your opponent's board. You may actually prefer to have a checker hit! You are unlikely to catch up in the race (especially if your opponent has lots of points made so that even a big set of doubles won't let you run), so you may want to stay back as long as you can and try not to have your board collapse.

Likewise, the side leading may prefer not to hit. Recognizing the right situations to be sensitive to timing is something that comes with experience.