What is paradoxical about the Jacoby Paradox?

Question

The Jacoby Paradox is defined as:

[Named for Oswald Jacoby, who mentioned it in The Backgammon Book, page 116.] The fact that an improvement in the opponent's position can make redoubling correct in a position in which the player on roll owns the cube and has one remaining chance to redouble.

So what is paradoxical about it? It seem perfectly rational and intuitive to me.

Answer 1

Perhaps it's paradoxical in that a player is increasing the stakes (and therefore that player's own potential for loss) just after an opponent has improved his or her position (an event which makes it more likely that the opponent will win). Typically, one would only want to double when one has improved one's own position.