What's making the 3-Point good for? It can have some blocking value, sure. But your opponent has already passed the 3-point with one of his checkers. If you don't hit with 13/5* he will very likely either further run with this checker, possibly getting into safety reaching his midpoint or his own outer board or anchor on the 5-point with any 4 or a 31. Then your make 3-point has very limited value, as the opponent has already passed beyond that point. So your two checkers on the 3-point are out of play for quite some time to come.

Hitting on the other hand prevents your opponent from anchoring and with a little luck he can't hit and you make the 5-point. If you are hit, you get behind in the race. But the race has only limited value in the beginning of the match. If you have escaped one checker with a 65 (24/13), you try to preserve this advantage in the race of course, but if you are not ahead (after 54 from the opponent and a 53 by yourself you are actually 1 pip behind), the race doesn't matter much.

Therfore hitting a lonely checker on the 5-point is very often the best choice.

Hope this sounds reasonable?

Hardy 

Positional advantage is lot more important then race in the beginning of the game. So practically you're exchanging chance to win positional advantage to chance to lose pips. If you can make the 5-point that advantage will last rest of the game incrising your chances to win what ever happens. Protecting pips only guarantees that your opponent have more time to take the advantage himself. Opening is essentially fight for this iniative. Hitting loose may work or not but you have to at least try or you're already giving up. If you lose the hitting contest it is still not the end of the world. You might still anchor and continue with solid holding position and recycle you checker(s) back to the game.