Let's deal with this one first. It's pretty clear that Blue's priority is to get those back men moving around the board and while White is on the bar is the best time to do it. No pussyfooting, 23/18, 24/21 is the play. There's more to this than getting ready to escape. If White gets lucky and throws a joker from the bar, then spreading out will maximise Blue's chances of a return shot and Blue outboards White 4-2 at the moment. 23/15 is second best and anything that breaks the midpoint is very wrong indeed. It is a key point, covering the outfield and a safe house for runners, only to be broken if it can be used to hit.
I'm a bit bored with this match now and if I am bored with it, you must be weeping. So, here are two nice positions where the cube action is not at all clear. Let's see what you make of them.
Position ID: drsJAAZ7Y4cBAA
Match ID: cAkgARAAEAAA
Blue leads 2-1 to 9 and is on roll. What is the correct cube action for both sides?
Position ID: t5sHAEBt2wiAAw
Match ID: UQmgAUAAMAAE
Blue leads 6-4 to 13 and is on roll, owning the cube. White is on the bar. What is the correct cube action for both sides?
Set them out on a board, take your time and a very good tip this, imagine that you are trying to convince a doubles partner why your play is best!
Let me know what you think. Until tomorrow, enjoy the game!
4 comments:
Position 1
Blue is waaaay ahead in the race, and if he can squirt past white's anchor it should be easy going. I only count 8 shakes that force blue to leave a shot next roll, and those only give white an indirect shot.
With the furthest point to clear seven points away from the anchor, blue has lots of chances to break it and not be hit. So, despite white's formidable board, I think the double is sound.
But I think White can take here. Gammons are few, there's still a chance of getting a shot, and White's board is strong and won't crunch for a couple of moves.
D/T
Position 2
White has a tall order here. She'll have to throw a 1, then throw a 6 and then navigate her way around the board without being hit. Meanwhile, if Blue is hit, he just has to throw a 5 and then control the outfield.
The thing is, if blue is hit, white probably gets to present him with an unpleasant tasting recube that he'll be forced to eat. Of course, if White passes, then all this is moot. Neither side has much chance of gammon, so it can't be too good to double.
I'm inclined to pass here as white, but I'm not entirely sure. Invoking Kit's law, that must mean the double is correct. I'd be very very happy to cash this one as Blue, and I'd be nervous about handing White the cube AtS, but I'll never know if White will drop or take unless I hand her the cube.
D/P
I answered this yesterday, before blogger crashed and eated all the posts. Now my reply is gone. )c:
I'm off on vacation for the next week and will resume replying when I get back. Hopefully, blogger will get it's shit together by then, but I'm not hopeful.
Until then, enjoy the game.
Sorry about that! All now seems to be back in working order, post some comments please!
I too had the blogger crash and now don't have time to respond at such length. However, I reckon that Position 1 is a double/take, mostly on account of Blue's substantial pip lead.
Position 2 I thought would probably be a double/drop but might just possibly be an uncomfortable take for White, on account of the superior race lead and the fact that Blue has 6 rolls that won't close out his board. If White re-enters, hits and then rolls a 6, while Blue dances, a White re-cube would be the order of the day. But that's quite a lot of ifs, buts and maybes...
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