A formula for making doubling
decisions in pure race backgammon
games. It is a modification of
the basic pip count
which takes into account some elements of checker
distribution.
Each player's Thorp count
is his pip count, plus 2 for each of his checkers still on the board,
minus 1 for each of his
occupied home
board points, plus 1 for each checker on his one-point.
Then the player on roll increases
his count by 10 percent if it is more than 30.
Dr. Thorp advises:
Double any time your count does not exceed the
opponent's by more than 2;
Redouble any time your count does not exceed opponent's
by more than 1;
Accept
the double if your count does not
exceed doubler's by more than 2.
It was devised by Dr.
Edward O. Thorp. See post by Simon Woodhead. For a comparison with other methods, see
article by Tom
Keith. This Dr. Thorp is the same
gentleman who wrote the 1960’s best selling book on Blackjack “Beat the Dealer”
that made Blackjack the most popular casino game in the
The homepage for the Connecticut Backgammon Society is at www.RobRoy8.com.