Here, the bot play looked natural to me.
But I had a clear memory of reading "Don't slot and split"
and I have no memory of this adage being overturned.
I think it's Robertie who said that.
So I avoid the slot-and-split and played 11/10.
This was a rare error in an otherwise superb game where
I got a PR of 2.5. Furthermore, I felt like I knew what I was doing --
it's possible to choose the right plays by chance but that's not what
happened here.

So what is it with this don't-slot-and-split thing? Is this just
now-rejected folklore along with UTG, or is there some merit to the
saying that I'm not understanding?

Paul

XGID=-b----E-C--AdDa--bae----AA:0:0:1:21:1:0:3:0:10
X:Daniel O:eXtremeGammon

Score is X:1 O:0. Unlimited Game, Jacoby Beaver
+13-14-15-16-17-18------19-20-21-22-23-24-+
| X O O O | | O X |
| X O | | O |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| | X | O |
| |BAR| |
| | | X |
| O | | X |
| O X | | X |
| O X | | X O |
| O X X | | X O |
+12-11-10--9--8--7-------6--5--4--3--2--1-+
Pip count X: 166 O: 164 X-O: 1-0
Cube: 1
X to play 21

1. XG Roller+ Bar/23 6/5 eq:-0.072
Player: 48.98% (G:13.08% B:0.65%)
Opponent: 51.02% (G:16.64% B:0.86%)

2. XG Roller+ Bar/23 11/10 eq:-0.099 (-0.027)
Player: 47.71% (G:12.98% B:0.63%)
Opponent: 52.29% (G:15.19% B:0.67%)

3. 4-ply Bar/24 13/11 eq:-0.086 (-0.015)
Player: 47.77% (G:13.08% B:0.74%)
Opponent: 52.23% (G:15.40% B:0.71%)

4. 4-ply Bar/22 eq:-0.109 (-0.037)
Player: 47.52% (G:12.26% B:0.61%)
Opponent: 52.48% (G:15.55% B:0.65%)

5. 3-ply Bar/23 24/23 eq:-0.135 (-0.063)
Player: 46.25% (G:12.20% B:0.59%)
Opponent: 53.75% (G:14.65% B:0.63%)

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10

On 7/16/2022 6:16 AM, peps...@gmail.com wrote:
> So what is it with this don't-slot-and-split thing? Is this just
> now-rejected folklore along with UTG, or is there some merit to the
> saying that I'm not understanding?

It's still a good rule of thumb. Nack Ballard calls such plays "wild."
Typically, one of the drawbacks of such moves is that they open yourself
up to an attack. If you get double hit, or hit on the opposite side of
the board when you're unanchored, then you can get into trouble quickly.

When is a wild play nevertheless a good play? I've found that the most
common indicator is duplication of 4's. If you play 6/5 then usually
that means your opponent's best 4 is 24/20*. If your opponent has good
4's elsewhere then the wild play is probably not as risky as usual.
Here, of course, your opponent has a good 4 in the form of 11/7.

---
Tim Chow

On Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 6:16:26 AM UTC-4, peps...@gmail.com wrote:
> Here, the bot play looked natural to me.
> But I had a clear memory of reading "Don't slot and split"
> and I have no memory of this adage being overturned.
> I think it's Robertie who said that.
> So I avoid the slot-and-split and played 11/10.
> This was a rare error in an otherwise superb game where
> I got a PR of 2.5. Furthermore, I felt like I knew what I was doing --
> it's possible to choose the right plays by chance but that's not what
> happened here.
>
> So what is it with this don't-slot-and-split thing? Is this just
> now-rejected folklore along with UTG, or is there some merit to the
> saying that I'm not understanding?
>
> Paul
>
> XGID=-b----E-C--AdDa--bae----AA:0:0:1:21:1:0:3:0:10
> X:Daniel O:eXtremeGammon
>
> Score is X:1 O:0. Unlimited Game, Jacoby Beaver
> +13-14-15-16-17-18------19-20-21-22-23-24-+
> | X O O O | | O X |
> | X O | | O |
> | X | | O |
> | X | | O |
> | | X | O |
> | |BAR| |
> | | | X |
> | O | | X |
> | O X | | X |
> | O X | | X O |
> | O X X | | X O |
> +12-11-10--9--8--7-------6--5--4--3--2--1-+
> Pip count X: 166 O: 164 X-O: 1-0
> Cube: 1
> X to play 21
>
> 1. XG Roller+ Bar/23 6/5 eq:-0.072
> Player: 48.98% (G:13.08% B:0.65%)
> Opponent: 51.02% (G:16.64% B:0.86%)
>
> 2. XG Roller+ Bar/23 11/10 eq:-0.099 (-0.027)
> Player: 47.71% (G:12.98% B:0.63%)
> Opponent: 52.29% (G:15.19% B:0.67%)
>
> 3. 4-ply Bar/24 13/11 eq:-0.086 (-0.015)
> Player: 47.77% (G:13.08% B:0.74%)
> Opponent: 52.23% (G:15.40% B:0.71%)
>
> 4. 4-ply Bar/22 eq:-0.109 (-0.037)
> Player: 47.52% (G:12.26% B:0.61%)
> Opponent: 52.48% (G:15.55% B:0.65%)
>
> 5. 3-ply Bar/23 24/23 eq:-0.135 (-0.063)
> Player: 46.25% (G:12.20% B:0.59%)
> Opponent: 53.75% (G:14.65% B:0.63%)
>
>
> eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10

I have a set of criteria for when splotting is likely correct but I've never put it to paper. Duplication, as Tim mentions, can be part of that. Another major factor will be 5 men (or more) still on your 6 point. The opponent also almost never has improved his board. More to it but that's a bare backbones structure. Typically the split is deep (harder for the opponent to attack) and of course the slot is mainly the 5 point but rare cases of the 4 point. (In instances where we have no new inner board points made either)

Stick