• Money Game   Position posted by Michael Depreli [021803]  GNU vs Snowie Position 101


Pip counts: White: 143, Red: 120

• Red to play

            • Equities 3-ply, cubeful [grandmaster]

			B/21 24/20(2) 13/9	- 0.378
			40.7%     8.5%  0.2%    59.3%   17.7%   0.6%
			B/21 24/20(2) 22/18	- 0.403 ( -0.026)
			39.4%     7.2%  0.1%    60.6%   15.5%   0.4%
			B/21 24/20 8/4(2)	- 0.429 ( -0.051)
			39.9%     9.4%  0.3%    60.1%   20.2%   1.4%
			B/21 24/20(2) 8/4	- 0.430 ( -0.052)
			39.9%     7.8%  0.2%    60.1%   19.1%   0.7%
			B/21 24/20 13/5*	- 0.468 ( -0.091)
			39.6%     8.8%  0.2%    60.4%   21.8%   1.8%

            • Rollouts/ Snowie3.2, 2-ply/huge, cube: 3-ply, 1296 trials with Bearoff Database

			B/21 24/20(2) 13/9	- 0.312
			B/21 24/20(2) 22/18	- 0.340 ( -0.028)
			B/21 24/20(2) 8/4  [SW4's choice]	- 0.340 ( -0.028)
			B/21 24/20 8/4(2)	- 0.368 ( -0.056)
			B/21 24/20 13/5*	- 0.369 ( -0.057)

Making the anchor seems to be a must here.  White's position is solid up-front for priming or attacking so making the anchor hinders both. White also has two checkers back so just racing home is not going to be easy.  Red wants this to be a long game and will need all his checkers.  I'll play 13/9 with the last 4. -- Chuck Koval Double hitting is always tempting in positions like this, and often right.  However, I don't think it is here.  Red has a lot of men back, so this looks to be a long, positional struggle, where a tempo is of limited value and a checker out of play could be very costly. I rule out hitting/slotting the 5-point with 13/5* because there isn't a good final 4, and it risks a hit which neutralizes this fine roll. I feel Red does better to lock down a point somewhere and try to build slowly.  With so many men back, Red will be on defense for some time, so I like anchoring on the defensive 5-point and settling that issue for good. For the last 4, either 22/18 or 13/9 seems fine.  With the defense in place, maybe it's time to go to work on the offense with 13/9. -- Dean Gay B/21 24/20(2) 22/18.  I would rather get the spare checkers moving at the rear and make a bid for the outfield than risk yet another checker being sent back. -- Ian Dunstan

• Money Game   Position posted by Michael Depreli [021903]  GNU vs Snowie Position 103 Pip counts: White: 147, Red: 128 • Red to play             • Equities 3-ply, cubeful [grandmaster] 14/10 11/5 +0.496     69.9%   25.6%  0.5%    30.1%     5.9%   0.1% 10/4 8/4 +0.469 ( -0.027)     67.3%   31.9%  0.8%    32.7%     8.8%   0.4% 21/15 14/10 +0.457 ( -0.039)     70.1%   21.2%  0.5%    29.9%     5.9%   0.1%             • Rollouts/ Snowie3.2, 2-ply/huge, cube: 3-ply, 1296 trials with Bearoff Database 14/10 11/5 +0.526 21/15 14/10 +0.504 ( -0.022) 10/4 8/4  [SW4's choice] +0.466 ( -0.060) Red should do some clean-up here rather than going wide open by making the 4-point. 14/10 clears two blots, prevents White's 4-6 hit from the bar, and shadows the 4-point in case White enters and stops there. It's also a better landing spot than the 11-point. The 6 looks like either 21/15 or 11/5.  21/15 leaves two blots and gives White 9 shots from the bar.  The advantage is it gets that last checker close to home. 11/5 leaves only one blot which is guaranteed 13 return shots when hit, except if White rolls the 2-2 or 4-4 jokers.  It also brings another builder for the home-board into position. I prefer 11/5 which leaves the fewest blots and the best distribution of homeboard builders. -- Chuck Bower I would make the 4-point.  White will dance about half the time, and entering and hitting could backfire in a big way. It may be right for Red to simply clean up his position and try to come home from there, but it seems like that takes quite a lot of pressure off of White. -- Dean Gay Red needs to reduce the number of blots rather than make the next best point in his board, so it's 14/10 for me. For the 6, 11/5 is better than 21/15 for working on a gammon. -- Ilia Guzei Back Hosted by www.Geocities.ws