Woolsey's Backgammon Rule for the Doubling Cube

When should the backgammon player use the backgammon doubling cube? There have been books and books written on this but the last word has not been said on this crucial question. Experts have discussed and debated this issue threadbare. Several backgammon strategies have been proposed, each more incomprehensible than the next, at least to the novice backgammon player. The backgammon player is looking for a simple backgammon rule that he can implement in actual play without calculating a host of numbers or memorizing long tables.

Woolsey's backgammon rule for using the backgammon doubling cube seems to meet the requirements that the backgammon player is looking for. Woolsey' stated his rule as follows: "If you aren't absolutely sure whether the position is a take or a pass, then it is always correct to double." In simpler language Woolsey's rule can be interpreted as follows. If in the view of the backgammon player the opponent cannot make a clear decision on whether to take or drop the double, then the backgammon player should use the backgammon doubling cube.

This backgammon rule has been justified on the basis of the following argument. If the use of the backgammon doubling cube was objectively correct then the backgammon player is on the right track. Even if the backgammon double was objectively incorrect the backgammon player stands to gain if the opponent drops and conceded the game. The only problem arises when the double was objectively incorrect and the opponent takes. Therefore some experts advocate the use of Woolsey's backgammon rule only against the weaker backgammon player. Others are of the view that it should be used always because incorrect doubles are better than missed doubles.