Game 1, Move 5: Herd 4-4

[diane]

A few nexts..
Herd:5-5, 13/3 (2)
Skater: 2-1, 6/4, 5/4

Now the herd has a troublesome 4-4 to play, I am not sure there are that many choices really, but thought I would stall a bit  

[skater]

There something wrong with this position.  Although if you want to give me the 4 point I'll take it.

[diane]

Don't panic..all is clear now 

[skater]

Sorry I'm still learning the ropes    Now I know to look for fast-forward.

[NIHILIST]

Why do our checkers appear in his home board instead of ours ? Please indulge an old, unemployed senior citizen with bad eyesight.

Bob

[diane]

Why do our checkers appear in his home board instead of ours ? Please indulge an old, unemployed senior citizen with bad eyesight.

Bob

Because, in this game, skater started first..and we have ended up looking at the board the way 'the box' usually sees it...it does everyone good to look at the same thing from a different perspective now and then. The numbers will guide you if you use them..they switch, dependant on whose go it is..So in this shot with playing the 4-4, you are aiming for the point numbered 1 

[spielberg]

Spoiler

I can hardly see any choice to be honest. 6 2 6 2 8 4 8 4 looks obvious

[close]

[NIHILIST]

After 30 years of play, I think I know how to play the checkers regardless of direction. What I haven't figured out yet is how to play our moves into his home board.

Regardless of direction, our home board should be at THE BOTTOM of the picture. If you dpubt this look back at any of the previous matches or set up a real board yourself. You'll find that YOUR home board is ALWAYS at the bottom of the board, closest to where you sit.

Additionally, I doubt you'd find any opponent in any game, match or chouette who'd allow you to roll your dice in their board.

Bob

[diane]

If you doubt this look back at any of the previous matches or set up a real board yourself. You'll find that YOUR home board is ALWAYS at the bottom of the board, closest to where you sit.

So, you really would have struggled playing against the herd then..this shot is taken from FFM3, where Schigolch is playing against the forum. Schi has a 5-4 to play - heading for the top right of the board.



You are right about what happens over the board in live play, and FIBS mimics that on each of your computers at home. The difference about playing these matches, is that we both have to sit on the same side of the board...

If this is proving too difficult to look at I can change it so skater is headed for the top, but am reluctant to swap it each move, as that will get confusing.

For NIHI...does this help you figure it out?  And maybe some of those who already voted should take another peek at this..

Spoiler

No one is opting to move that spare checker on the 9...surely that would be a better option that moving both off the 6?

[close]

[NIHILIST]

Thank you for indulging a senile old man. Your example proved my point. Of course it helps when the home board is properly displayed, but in a real game I'd still insist the 4-4 be re-rolled because it was rolled in the opposing board.

Bob

[diane]

in a real game I'd still insist the 4-4 be re-rolled because it was rolled in the opposing board.

Er, no it wasn't..it was rolled on the side with point 1 in it...making that our home board, viewed from our opponents angle...because this is all 2D, and someone has to work upside down and on what appears to be the wrong side.  Still, for a senile old man, you aren't doing too bad with all this new fangled technology. 

I expect you are going to ask that the herd plays the right way up...and leave the opponent once again struggling with upside-downess..

[NIHILIST]

If I were to ask anything it would be to see the posiotion as one would see it in a real game. If I'm the only one with this concern please feel free to show it any way you wish.

Bob

[diane]

If this were a live match, we would sit on opposite sides of the board, and each see it the correct way up.

This isn't live, we both sit on the same side of the board, unless I reverse it for each play - and it is extra work for me to do that. The format in most [but not all] FFM's has been for the forum to have the board their correct way up, and the opponent plays the opposite way - uphill as it were.

You are the only one who has complained about this, but, I consulted with skater and he is happy to play the less comfortable way round so it it is easier for you.

Lets move on now.

[stog]

thx both ::i know it can take time to set up positions/post polls with most suitable choices, especially with work & family etc..then  constrain the diagram to a smaller size etc

i think though the direction arrow is most important to include; usually that allows us to work out what is happening.... i only have probs, when that occasionally goes missing.

[diane]

ooooo, there is a direction arrow...I have never noticed that before!! 

I don't know how to make it be there, or not be there though...will have to watch out for it!

[stog]

it's usually there, but in some views it isn't (as in the diagrams at the top), and then you need to add a sentence eg "the herd in white, are going clockwise"

[diane]

it's usually there, but in some views it isn't (as in the diagrams at the top), and then you need to add a sentence eg "the herd in white, are going clockwise"

Yes I can see it is there sometimes, but my point was, I don't know what I did to get it to appear, I will look and hope I can work that out...

But, writing 'herd in white [as shown in the diagram for those who cant be bothered to look] are going clockwise' [for those who don't know we progress from 24 to 1] gets pretty tedious each move you post, even if you leave out the bits in brackets  Just look at how many posts constitute a 5 point match, and check the early FFMs - we all started out that way, but it gets very old very soon, and was the reason for including the bottom of the board with the key on it so all that info is there.

The easiest presentation to look at is the one where your view is in front of you as you would look at the board irl.  I recall Zorba bringing this up very early on and switching it around each move, which - surprisingly - caused more confusion than it fixed, and was more work. It seems a bit unfair to me that the team of 10 people playing the one get the easiest view...but then again - it is intended to be viewed by learners, whilst the box is an experienced player, so that is fair I suppose.

[stog]

if i remember correctly, when you set up the dice for the herd move, you need to paste direction advice, as the arrow is only included in gnubg for your move, which is really the guest's move. (hence the direction arrow appears for the guest's diagram, whereas the herd's dice are the computer player's dice, usually auto)

but if you rewind back in gnubg a move, the arrow appears or disappears - i forget which
either way i usu tried to screenshot the arrowed diagram if i had time, but i know if u r rushing out etc, it is not always possible, and we are all grateful for a posted poll, which may occasionally be bereft of some pertinant info or from a different view, but can usu be worked out by looking at the previous post etc

thx again for your time