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BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?

Posted By: Timothy Chow
Date: Thursday, 28 July 2011, at 12:28 a.m.

In Response To: BQ: What to play after making the 20 point? (leobueno)

This is a slightly loaded question, because there are at least two candidate plays that don't involve 24/20(2): blitzing with 8/4(2) 6/2*(2) and making the 5pt with 13/5(2). However, since White has already made her 4pt and Blue has not split his back checkers yet, a 44 blitz with 9 checkers in the zone seems a little ambitious for a money game here. At a score with an elevated gammon value I'd consider it but not here. As for 13/5(2), it should be worse than 24/20(2) 13/9(2), because after 13/9(2) it's fairly clear that making the golden anchor is better than exchanging the 9pt for the 5pt.

So now let's come back to your question: we play 24/20(2) and then look for two more 4's. The three candidates are 6/2*(2), 20/16(2), and 13/9(2). 6/2*(2) unstacks the heavy 2pt and puts a checker on the bar, but creates a kind of "naked 2pt". This kind of play can be correct under certain circumstances but usually not when you have a strong structural play like 13/9(2) available and where, as noted above, blitzing is not such a strong game plan. So I think the real choice is between 20/16(2) and 13/9(2).

The "normal" money-game play with an early 44 is 24/20(2) 13/9(2) so when in doubt this is the play to make. It creates a solid position with strong assets. I would play it here. 20/16(2) is possible, but I think it is again "too ambitious" in a sense. It may be tempting to think that when ahead in the race you should race, and at DMP that reasoning may be correct. However, if you make your 16pt, the chances are it will be frozen there for a few turns since you will be somewhat reluctant to leave a blot there. Since the rest of your position isn't that flexible, you're likely to leave at least some indirect shots over the next few turns, and then if you get hit, you'll wish you had the 20pt anchor back.

Messages In This Thread

• BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
  leobueno -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 2:02 p.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    ah_clem -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 5:50 p.m.
    • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
      David -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 7:02 p.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    Udo Moerschbach -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 6:19 p.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    Casper van der Tak -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 6:34 p.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    Daniel Murphy -- Wednesday, 27 July 2011, at 7:05 p.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    Timothy Chow -- Thursday, 28 July 2011, at 12:28 a.m.
  • BQ: What to play after making the 20 point?
    neilkaz -- Thursday, 28 July 2011, at 3:09 p.m.