Position information:

Pip-count: Red 121-121 White
Score:       Red    0-0    White
Match:                5-pointer

Red to play 6-6

Agree

Bob

It's a pretty easy lesson. Regardless of how you play it, youre up 24 pips after the roll. If you dont hit and he rolls 5-5 you might feel a bit silly, but thats 1 number in 36 whereas if you hit, he has at least 13 return shots at the blot on the 3 point and maybe more depending on how you play the 4th 6. Playing 13-7 4 times lets you claim an easy point early in the match.

Now, let's assume you trail in the match 4-3 to 5, Crawford. You can certainly make a much stronger case for hitting since a gammon wins the match for you. I still think I'd play it 13-7 (4) over the board.

As a final note, and to illustrate the difference between match and money play, in a money game playing 13-7 (4) is automatic since the cube is in the middle and gammons arent an issue.


Bob

OK, I fess up and say I played the blunder too!     I see the logic in playing the safer way, tho, and maybe I'll remember it.   

Thanks for all the good comments, guys!   

socksey



"In reality, the Holy Land doesn't need walls, but bridges." - Pope John Paul II, commenting on Israel's separation wall, quoted in The Washington Post

PlayBunny misses the point, which is that unless White rolls 6-6 or 5-5, the game will end with a cube turn, so the wolf can slaver all that he likes, but he isn't going to be attacking much! After 5-5, Red won't be good enough to double. After 6-6, he will have a double though, because the last White checker will still be blocked and Red will have some attacking and racing chances as well of course. White needs to play 6-6 well though and that probably means making her 1 and 2pts, even though it wastes pips. Doing that will give her a four point board and thus deter Red from the more extreme blitz plans.

13-10 (2), 9-6 (2). Same theme except gammons are significant for both players. Black is hugely ahead in the race, just needs to clear safely to go 4-0, Crawford.

While 8-5 (3), 5-2 is tempting, it farts squarely in the face of clearing black's midpoint, which is his biggest obstacle. Black doesn't want a hitting contest here, he just wants to win quietly.

Bob

When you're leading run safely to home and when you're trailing fight for the last man. Simple and common rule which is rarely wrong in basic holding and running games.

PlayBunny misses the point, which is that unless White rolls 6-6 or 5-5, the game will end with a cube turn ...

Well, you can call it missing the point if you like but I think of it as focusing on the checkerplay, which is my forte. I make no claim to be an expert in the cube at this time and thus prefer to talk less about it.

The post that I made is good checker play logic and would be useful to others who tend to underplay the cube, as well as in a 1-pointer where checker play is the only consideration.