Question:
Move
Option 1: 18/12 (2)
votes: 1
Option 2: 18/15 (2), 8/5, 7/4
votes: 6
Option 3: 18/9, 8/5
votes: 1
Option 4: 18/9, 7/4
votes: 0
Option 5: 18/15 (2), 8/5, 6/3
votes: 0
Option 6: 8/2 7/1
votes: 1
Spoiler
18-15 (2) 8-5,7-4. it brings two checkers into our home board, partially closes the gap on the 5 and gives us one more, albeit small chance to hit
Spoiler
The simple question is, do we want one or two long backstops, or are we giving up the bar and running? Don't forget, our board which is bottom-heavy is rather worse than a straight pipcount suggests, while Linus's is pretty good.
On 17 White rolls (any 8 or greater) it's all a wash anyway.
On 13 rolls, (any 6 or smaller) if we've stayed back at all, White just plays inside and we get a shot at a 7 to hit. 1/3 of the time he comes straight back on, the rest of the time we cube as we'll have our firepower in a better place next roll.
On 4 rolls (52, 43), if we keep a single backstop it's game over. With two backstops, White again plays inside, with none White runs.
On 2 rolls (61), White leaves us a single direct shot if we've kept the bar point, kills us if we have a blot there, runs if neither.
So, on this roll staying back turns 4% of marginally-behind races into extra wins, maybe another 1% if he can't get past us next time. Staying back with one man additionally turns 18% of marginally-behind races into losses. Does dumping two men deep into our board cost us 4% in the races by wasting pips? I can't do that in my head but intuitively I think it does - wasting 6 pips is almost a complete roll lost. So I'm with KDP - take two crossovers 8/5 7/4, then shunt the back men along. The extra vig from a White 11/22/12/13 is a nice little bonus.
Spoiler
We'll be about 5 pips behind in the race after this play, and a bit worse in EPC due to the spare on the ace and the gap on the 5. A racing win is still a possibility, but only in the range of ~30%. So, I think our strongest chance is to maximize contact rather than giving him an easy way to run past us. Which is to say that 18/15(2) or 18/12(2) may be best for racing chances, i don't think we want to put our eggs in that basket.
I'd look seriously at 18/9 8/5 - we don't need both checkers to hit him, but that gives him another 6 rolls to run past us, so i don' think that's the right idea.
I'm going to go with 8/2 7/1 - yes it is awful in the way it wastes pips and leaves the gap on the 5, but I think we need to maintain the 18 point and if we play from the 6 our hit is much less strong, assuming we get one.
XGR++
Spoiler
I found this move confusing, but apparently the herd didn't. 18/15(2) 8/5 7/4 is best by a good margin.
XGID=-CBBB-BAA--a------Bdbbcc--:0:0:1:33:0:0:0:5:10
X:Player 1 O:Player 2
Score is X:0 O:0 5 pt.(s) match.
+13-14-15-16-17-18------19-20-21-22-23-24-+
| X | | O O O O O |
| X | | O O O O O |
| | | O O O |
| | | O |
| | | |
| |BAR| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | X |
| | | X X X X X |
| O X X | | X X X X X |
+12-11-10--9--8--7-------6--5--4--3--2--1-+
Pip count X: 84 O: 71 X-O: 0-0/5
Cube: 1
X to play 33
1. XG Roller++ 18/15(2) 8/5 7/4 eq:-0.511
Player: 32.49% (G:0.07% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 67.51% (G:0.41% B:0.01%)
2. XG Roller++ 18/15(2) 8/2 eq:-0.600 (-0.089)
Player: 29.23% (G:0.05% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 70.77% (G:0.10% B:0.00%)
3. XG Roller++ 18/15(2) 8/5 6/3 eq:-0.603 (-0.092)
Player: 29.26% (G:0.05% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 70.74% (G:0.87% B:0.04%)
4. XG Roller++ 18/9 8/5 eq:-0.632 (-0.122)
Player: 29.16% (G:0.21% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 70.84% (G:1.84% B:0.07%)
5. XG Roller++ 18/12(2) eq:-0.645 (-0.134)
Player: 27.75% (G:0.01% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 72.25% (G:0.01% B:0.00%)
6. XG Roller++ 8/2 7/1 eq:-0.691 (-0.180)
Player: 26.63% (G:0.15% B:0.00%)
Opponent: 73.37% (G:0.85% B:0.02%)
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10, MET: Kazaross XG2