See inim, there has been NO protest to the way people have been posting positions up until you appeared. Take it or leave it.

Regards

Exactly, and that was the reason behind my suggestion of reviewing previously posted positions.

Regards

Enough!     Back to the subject, please.     The rules of fibsboard are, be courteous and patient.  We are here to have fun and hopefully learn something.   

socksey



"There is no distinctly Native American criminal class... save Congress." - Mark Twain

You missed the part in black ink on a green background. There's a sticky note to that effect at the top of this board (FIBS Board > Forum > Backgammon > Backgammon problems). You want it reproduced in every thread?

http://www.fibsboard.com/backgammon-problems/problem-spoilers-t1782.0.html



I presume that you must be new to the Internet then and haven't yet twigged that there are things such as social customs. This is corroborated by the length of time it's taken you to understand the concept of "spoiler". It also seems that you have little curiosity, if this is the first problem that you've visited and you didn't find your self drawn up a level to the wonders of the other umpteen problems on this board. There you'd have seen the sticky note and been able to see the spoiler-hiding facility in use in many of PersianLord's threads. You'd have reached an understanding in much less time than this conversation has taken.

It would also have prevented this thread and problem being trampled on, though it is a pleasure, as always, to read the clarity and humanity of PersianLord's thoughts. I was going to copy and paste here the equivalent thread at DailyGammon, it has had many contributions, including - at the end of discussion - my own rollout and one from Snowie. Instead, I invite people interested in this position to visit that forum (you'll need to have joined the site). http://www.dailygammon.com/bg/forum2/main/read/25373

Still, there's one good thing about this thread since the topic turned to the education of a forum newbie who doesn't know the "silent rules", and that is that I got my weekly Mookie reminder. One of these days I'll play him and get to make that vouch! 

So, restored to my bots, yes 13/7, 6/5 is indeed the best play with 13/7, 9/8 a close alternative. 24/18 9/8 is the best split play but a clear error. As this appears to be only the fifth play of the game, how is it that the best play is such a surprise, to me at any rate? I think it may be that both sides have already a fairly large error and thus led us off on a strange path some distance from the mainline. It looks as if the play has gone like this; 6-1, 13/7, 8/7; 5-5, 13-3(2); 5-4, 13/8, 13/9; 5-2 (or 4-3), 13/6; then the present 6-1 roll. Both sides made a sizeable error in failing to split. 24/20, 13/8 has to be better than bringing two men down from the midpoint and 13/6 is a sad play compared to a split. Having got here, can we say what prompts such an unusual play for the current 6-1? It looks like a matter of priorities. White’s structure is very brittle, making it unlikely that he can build a containing prime. Black on the other hand can build a prime and that is what he needs to concentrate on, putting his checkers where they will do the most good if not hit. I can’t say that this is obvious over the board even with hindsight. There is clearly more risk involved than moving to the 18pt, with more hitting numbers for White and more pips lost by being hit, but the gains must be greater when it works. Interesting position, thanks Bunny!
This sort of position shows why it can sometimes be very difficult to play well against a novice who makes highly unusual moves. The ability to think on your feet in odd situations is rare in all but the greatest players. Anybody here would have played 13/7, 6/5 in real life? I salute you.

It actually started as a bog standard game with perfect moves, the only departure from GnuBg 3-ply play was my choice of opening with the smell of gammon in my nostrils:


It's an interesting position indeed. I was totally surprised to see GnuBg's evaluation and subsequent further downgrading from the rollout. By far the most popular move at DailyGammon was the obvious - the major blunder that I made!

ps. I should point out that using colours to denote the players isn't a good idea. That web page allows people to choose their own board size and colour scheme (using the grey buttons on the right side of the board). PersianLord mentioned "orange", you say "white" and "black" and I see the pieces in yellow and blue!