Position 389

 How should White play 62 here:

When your opponent has only a single checker back, you need to stop them from escaping that checker.

Here you can make your 9 point by playing 15/9 11/9:

Usually making even a broken prime to block and opponents single remaining checker, is a good idea. Unfortunately, in order to do that you have to you leave a blot on your 15 point. Although you will have a return shot from the bar if you roll 64, 62 or 61, with 62 and 61, you will have to you give up your 21 point anchor to hit from the bar. As your opponent has the stronger board, they could launch a successful attack.

Note that Black has 3 checkers which can put your checker on the 24 point on the bar and make the point with combinations of 6’s, 5’s or 2’s.

Consider 11/3*:

Black will hit you with the same number of shots, as they would of if you had played 15/9 11/9.

One of the advantages of this move is the 4 rolls where Black stays on the bar.

Now Black cannot point on the checker on your 24 point.

You retain your 15 point, so that if Black runs to your 10 or 9 point, that checker will be facing a double shot. The 15 point blocks Blacks 3’s so if Black rolls 33 from the bar, they will have to weaken their board.

If Black enters without hitting, you should be able to improve your board strength.

Although This is the correct move, a world-class player, in a major competition made the 9 point here. It is easy to see why, as this is a very tricky position.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Position 385

Image
 How should White play 51 here: After the roll you will be ahead in the race by 22 pips, so you consider the safe play of 6/1 3/2: Although this is safe for the next roll, as it leaves no blots that Black can hit, this is not very safe long-term. You will be still stacked on your 6 point and have no spares on any other point. You will be inflexible and brittle. It is always good to make your 5 point, so you consider 10/5 6/5: The problem with this play, is the 13 rolls that hit the blot on your 10 point. If Black hits you, the fact that you have a blot on your 3 point, should make you less willing to hit in your inner board as you enter from the bar. You do not want to put your racing lead in jeopardy. You can cover the blot on your 3 point and give yourself some flexibility by playing 8/7 8/3: Now your board is stronger, and you have a spare on your 7 point, but in order to achieve those pluses you have had to give up your 8 point. Your 8 point was useful for blocking Black an...
Read more for the solution»

Position 384

Image
 How should White play 32 here: The good news is that you have entered from the bar with the 2, but how do you play the 3? Consider 6/3: Creating an extra inner board blot, means that Black can attack not caring if you hit them from the bar because you will usually have at least one inner board blot. This move is too big and leaves you too vulnerable. Consider bar/23 13/10: This move does duplicate 5’s for Black to hit on both sides of the board. However, like the previous candidate move it creates an extra blot when Black has a very strong board and will probably attack you. Consider bar/20: This move keeps your blot count to only 2. But it does move up to Blacks 5 point, and they would much rather make the 5 point than their 2 point. And it is closer to Blacks 13 point, so it will be easy to cover if Black hits you loose on their 5 point. Consider bar/23 7/4: You have kept your blot count at 2 and now you have improved your board strength. If Black attacks you on their ...
Read more for the solution»

Position 386

Image
 How should White play 61 here: I want to remind readers that all these positions are money play without Jacoby. You can leave no blots and create a 4 point board by playing 9/2: While this looks nice, Black can enter from the bar with 20 rolls or 56% of the time. You have also done nothing about escaping your rear checkers or attacking Blacks blot on their 10 point. You can cover and split your back checkers by playing 22/21 8/2: You will be ahead in the race by 8 pips after this roll. Black still enters with the same 20 rolls and your advantage will not be decisive. Consider it in 22/15*: Now you will be ahead in the race by 23 pips after the roll. Even if Black hits you on your 2 point, the 6’s are blocked from your 2 point. You are fully escaped into Blacks outfield and if Black hits you from the midpoint, they will have to give up their midpoint and you will have no trouble entering as Black only has a one point board. This is not correct because you win more G...
Read more for the solution»