FIBS Board backgammon forum

Z rolls a 5-1.

I could keep my midpoint with 7/2 4/3. It is a bit inflexible with the front-loaded builder as the only direct cover. The advantage is I can't get hit with a one from the Herd's midpoint, so I won't be on the bar when the Herd might leave me a shot in the outfield from my golden anchor.

On the other hand, getting hit could help me make my acepoint which would give me a longer lasting defence. The Herd is stripped right now so the risk of my acepoint blot itself getting attacked is small for the immediate future. A one from the bar and I got the low anchor. The timing for an acepoint game isn't great, but still, getting hit isn't all that bad.

Playing from my mid allows me to play the smooth 13/7. With the 5-prime in place even an indirect hit  by me is now (almost) a killer, so the Herd will have to proceed with caution.

I'm not sure about this move, but the advantages of 13/7 seem to outweigh the disadvantages here. Part of it is the matchscore situation: getting hit will surely lose me more gammons but that doesn't matter here. The final factor in favour of 13/7 is that it might give the Herd a chance to err! Should the Herd always hit when it rolls a one?

nice one Z -- good eggs plan nation too -- thx