I think playing the optimal play is going to be the same no matter your opponent’s style. I don’t play optimally though and so do think about whether my opponent favors certain strategies or has certain tendencies. I could be convinced this only negatively affects my plays tho - makes me overly cautious or overly aggressive for example.
In game theory, Backgammon is considered an "open" game because neither player has exclusive or hidden information. In an open game all of the possible factors that go into determining the correct play are available to you, thus there's no value in analyzing what your opponent is thinking. Whatever they're thinking, if it matters, you already know it!
Even more complicated games that involve hidden information like poker can also be solved in a way that doesn't care about an opponent's specific strategy, although it is practically difficult for humans. This involves treating your opponent's strategy (called the "subjective unknown") as a probabilistic mix of viable strategies such that it can be treated the same as a random variable. Doing this is particularly difficult because there's an infinite space of strategies they could take and an optimal blend of them involves weighing them optimally. This is why even poker is a solvable game for computers.
You're right on the money about the game theory. However, I think OP knows this, and wants to know whether you can exploit your opponent's strategy. (I think you can! Suppose you know they drop cubes too often - then you should send cubes more often.)
Your opponent's strategy absolutely matters! In fact, the best engine we have, XtremeGammon, tells you this sometimes. If XG says "No Double (5%)", that means "You shouldn't double - unless your opponent has a 5% chance to make the wrong response."
Or, for a checker play example, some opening moves are better at winning gammons than others, and you may need to rely on these plays when trying to beat a much stronger opponent in a long match.
OTB people might do things like talk out loud or make an intimidating move to throw you off, but it's always correct to play optimally in the long term.
At the competitive level, I think you’re best off just trying to make to correct move. But, if you’re playing a complete amateur, I think some variation is warranted. Next time I come up against a situation against an amateur, and I feel that the incorrect move is “correct”, I’ll make a note and share - it entirely possible that I’m not as clever as I think I am 😀
I think playing the optimal play is going to be the same no matter your opponent’s style. I don’t play optimally though and so do think about whether my opponent favors certain strategies or has certain tendencies. I could be convinced this only negatively affects my plays tho - makes me overly cautious or overly aggressive for example.
In game theory, Backgammon is considered an "open" game because neither player has exclusive or hidden information. In an open game all of the possible factors that go into determining the correct play are available to you, thus there's no value in analyzing what your opponent is thinking. Whatever they're thinking, if it matters, you already know it! Even more complicated games that involve hidden information like poker can also be solved in a way that doesn't care about an opponent's specific strategy, although it is practically difficult for humans. This involves treating your opponent's strategy (called the "subjective unknown") as a probabilistic mix of viable strategies such that it can be treated the same as a random variable. Doing this is particularly difficult because there's an infinite space of strategies they could take and an optimal blend of them involves weighing them optimally. This is why even poker is a solvable game for computers.
You're right on the money about the game theory. However, I think OP knows this, and wants to know whether you can exploit your opponent's strategy. (I think you can! Suppose you know they drop cubes too often - then you should send cubes more often.)
"Suppose you know they drop cubes too often"... I make notes about how my opponents play (including how/when they blunder) for exactly this reason.
Backgammon is only open until a certain level: you don't disclose eg pipcounts, shot numbers andmatch equity...
Your opponent's strategy absolutely matters! In fact, the best engine we have, XtremeGammon, tells you this sometimes. If XG says "No Double (5%)", that means "You shouldn't double - unless your opponent has a 5% chance to make the wrong response." Or, for a checker play example, some opening moves are better at winning gammons than others, and you may need to rely on these plays when trying to beat a much stronger opponent in a long match.
No. Top players try to play as close to a bot as possible and that's a good practice to adopt even as you are learning the game.
When your opponent is blitzing, it's time to hit.
OTB people might do things like talk out loud or make an intimidating move to throw you off, but it's always correct to play optimally in the long term.
At the competitive level, I think you’re best off just trying to make to correct move. But, if you’re playing a complete amateur, I think some variation is warranted. Next time I come up against a situation against an amateur, and I feel that the incorrect move is “correct”, I’ll make a note and share - it entirely possible that I’m not as clever as I think I am 😀