If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free, would you continue to build your home board?

So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?

Tony The Welsh Twat <tonythewelshtwat@gmail.com> writes:

> If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free,
> would you continue to build your home board?

Yes, especially so! Once you have free reign in your home board,
presumably because your opponent has escaped (it is almost by definition
so), it is more or less mandatory to build your home board as fast as
possible by pointing or "slot, cover". The latter is much faster than
bringing builders and waiting for a pointing roll. Remember, you are
most likely behind in the race, so prepare for hitting a devastating
shot.

> So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?

Yes, unless I could hit. If in doubt, hit. If in doubt, make the 5
point. Especially in the opening stage.

Best regards

Axel

On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:25:39 AM UTC-5, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
> If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free, would you continue to build your home board?
>
> So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?
This question is lacking some necessary details to give a satisfactory answer. Specifically, what was/were your roll(s)? Generally speaking we want to build our board but in your situation we need to split our back checkers also to cover the opponent's outfield and make many of his numbers leave a shot/double shot that otherwise wouldn't if we have yet to split our back checkers.

Stick

On 11/7/2023 3:54 AM, Stick Rice wrote:
> On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:25:39 AM UTC-5, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
>> If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free, would you continue to build your home board?
>>
>> So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?
>
> This question is lacking some necessary details to give a satisfactory answer. Specifically, what was/were your roll(s)? Generally speaking we want to build our board but in your situation we need to split our back checkers also to cover the opponent's outfield and make many of his numbers leave a shot/double shot that otherwise wouldn't if we have yet to split our back checkers.

Most of the time if the opponent has rolled 65 twice right away, I would
have already split, but I agree with Stick that if not, then splitting
is important. See the position below for example.

But I also agree that building the home board is important because we're
hoping to hit a shot. Just because the opponent has temporarily escaped
doesn't mean we should assume that that is a permanent state of affairs.

XGID=---B--D-B---gE---c-e----B-:0:0:1:31:0:0:3:0:10

Score is X:0 O:0. Unlimited Game, Jacoby Beaver
+13-14-15-16-17-18------19-20-21-22-23-24-+
| X O | | O X |
| X O | | O X |
| X O | | O |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| |BAR| |
| 7 | | |
| O | | X |
| O | | X |
| O X | | X X |
| O X | | X X |
+12-11-10--9--8--7-------6--5--4--3--2--1-+
Pip count X: 159 O: 145 X-O: 0-0
Cube: 1
X to play 31

1. XG Roller++ 24/21 6/5 eq:-0.270
Player: 41.56% (G:9.91% B:0.22%)
Opponent: 58.44% (G:9.65% B:0.31%)

2. XG Roller++ 8/5 6/5 eq:-0.274 (-0.004)
Player: 41.10% (G:10.11% B:0.20%)
Opponent: 58.90% (G:9.37% B:0.30%)

3. XG Roller++ 24/23 13/10 eq:-0.283 (-0.013)
Player: 41.10% (G:9.77% B:0.23%)
Opponent: 58.90% (G:9.76% B:0.35%)

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.211.pre-release

---
Tim Chow

On Tuesday, 7 November 2023 at 08:54:53 UTC, Stick Rice wrote:
> On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:25:39 AM UTC-5, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
> > If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free, would you continue to build your home board?
> >
> > So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?
> This question is lacking some necessary details to give a satisfactory answer. Specifically, what was/were your roll(s)? Generally speaking we want to build our board but in your situation we need to split our back checkers also to cover the opponent's outfield and make many of his numbers leave a shot/double shot that otherwise wouldn't if we have yet to split our back checkers.
>
> Stick

He rolled 6-5 first up, I rolled 5-4 and played 13-8, 24-20. He then rolled 6-5 again and I followed up with 3-1.

So my dilemma was do I play 8-5, 6-5 or is that a waste of time seeing as he's fled the scene?

On Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 11:14:08 AM UTC-5, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
> On Tuesday, 7 November 2023 at 08:54:53 UTC, Stick Rice wrote:
> > On Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:25:39 AM UTC-5, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
> > > If your opponent has managed to roll 2 6-5's right away so is free, would you continue to build your home board?
> > >
> > > So if you rolled 3-1, would you still play 8-5 6-5?
> > This question is lacking some necessary details to give a satisfactory answer. Specifically, what was/were your roll(s)? Generally speaking we want to build our board but in your situation we need to split our back checkers also to cover the opponent's outfield and make many of his numbers leave a shot/double shot that otherwise wouldn't if we have yet to split our back checkers.
> >
> > Stick
> He rolled 6-5 first up, I rolled 5-4 and played 13-8, 24-20. He then rolled 6-5 again and I followed up with 3-1.
>
> So my dilemma was do I play 8-5, 6-5 or is that a waste of time seeing as he's fled the scene?

That is definitely an instance where you want to make your board. (instead of anchoring) You don't need to anchor in this position because there's very little threat of being attacked. (and you're behind in the race) By not anchoring you leave your rear checker to cover all that space that is his inner board. If you anchor he has no rolls that force him to leave a shot. If you stay back there are plenty of rolls immediately like [65 63 62 54 51 21] where you get a shot. You also build your board by making the next best possible point while waiting to hit something.

Stick

On 11/7/2023 11:14 AM, Tony The Welsh Twat wrote:
> So my dilemma was do I play 8-5, 6-5 or is that a waste of time seeing as he's fled the scene?

I agree with what Stick said, but I want to emphasize that just
because he's temporarily fled the scene doesn't mean that that is
a permanent state of affairs. He has an inflexible position and
is likely to leave a blot sooner or later. When that happens, which
might be on his very next roll, you want to be ready to greet him
with a strong board.

---
Tim Chow