FIBS Board backgammon forum

We'll still be 46 pips behind after playing this move. (or 44 if we hit). If he can escape his runner we're dependent on our backgame structure to hold the day.  So playing off the 20 or 23 is verboten.

I'd really like to contain the checker now, rather than depending on the weakish 5-2 backgame structure.  I see three ways to contain the checker - making the bar point, pointing on his head, or hitting loose and spreading 'em around in the outfield.

Pointing on his head burries two checkers deep, but what better way to contain him than putting him on the roof against a four point board?   He'll have a hard time escaping with our outfield control.  But those deep checkers will be a strategic liability for the rest of the game.  My initial impulse was to point on the two, but now I'm shying away from it.

Making the bar point is sound, as it places the checkers in front of his runner, but mates it too easy to leap our containment checkers once we give up the 15. 

But take a look at hitting loose - 12/2* 15/10(2) puts him on the roof, if he tries to escape we've got him in the sights of a triple shot and we're poised to make another point in front of him. I'm not too worried about being hit since we have our anchors. 

So it's between the loose hit and pointing on his head. Over the board I would almost certainly point on his head, and I haven't convinced myself that hitting loose is clearly better, so I'm going to stick with the head shot.  12/2(2)*

Yes, I realize that we would rather not play deep in our homeboard, but the hit looks really good anyway. 

I would try 15/10(2), 12/7(2) over the board, but I wouldn't be too dogmatic about it. Obviously making the bar is strong, a valuable blocking point now and valuable later if we hit this checker or something else. Making the 10pt is technically strong too, 6 pips away from the escape hatch 4pt.
12/2*(2) may well be as good, but I would be surprised if it was much better. As well as the dances it also gives him some awkward entering rolls. If we hit, making it must be right. I can't see the point of hitting loose.
All the other serious candidates make the bar and break either the 15pt or the 23 pt to pursue greater flexibility and outfield coverage. I couldn't say if any of these (12/7(2), 15/5, or 12/7(2), 15/10, 11/6 or 23/13, 12/7(2) for examples) are better or worse than anything else. When in doubt, I like to go for assets and the 10pt and the 7pt look like two solid assets to me. I choose that.

15/10-12/7(2)-11/6

I don't want to make the 2-pt in a game that seems to take much more time to finish.

First of all, I don't want to make the 2 point. That overruns the 4 point which we really do want to make.

Making our bar point is for sure, and I prefer to keep our outfield checkers split up, so, rather than 15 - 10 (2), I'd put our last 5 on either our 6 or 5 point. I have no idea which is better.

from the lonely 1 vote to the top choice.  ty, someone.