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Exercise 2

Posted By: Mr Majestyk
Date: Saturday, 24 March 2012, at 11:01 a.m.

The purpose in exercise 2 is to demonstrate a technique involving shifting checkers **BACKWARDS** to a known reference position(s). It goes without saying that, the more reference positions you commit to memory, the more proficient you'll become at estimating EPC's Orb.

In position 1, blue has a smooth distribution with 10 pips of wastage. White will also waste 10 pips and this is how I got there:

STEP 1: Shift all 4 checkers on the 3pt to the 6pt. Ten or more checkers on the 6,5 & 4pts will waste approximately 7 pips.

STEP 2: multiply the number of checkers shifted by 0.5 and add step 1.

STEP 3: subtract 3 pips for gaps on the 1 & 2pts

Result: 12x0.5+7-3 = 10

1

		White is Player 2 score: 0 pip: 48 Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver pip: 42 score: 0 Blue is Player 1
XGID=-BBBBBB-------------ddd---:0:0:1:00:0:0:3:0:10
Blue on roll, cube action?

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03

Position 2, white:

STEP 1: shift 10 pips in total with 2 checkers from the 24pt to the 23pt; 2 checkers from the 22pt to the 20pt and 2 checkers from the 21pt to the 19pt.

STEP 2: multiply the number of pips shifted by 0.5 and add 10.

STEP 3: subtract 0.

Result: 10x0.5+10 = 15

Blue will reach a reference position that wastes 8 pips:

STEP 1: shift 9 pips in total with 1 checker from the 3pt to the 6pt and the 2 checkers on the 2pt to the 5pt.

STEP 2: multiply the number of pips shifted by 0.5 and add 8

STEP 3: subtract 0. (note: the 2pt is occupied, so no deduction).

Result: 9x0.5+8 = 12.5

2

		White is Player 2 score: 0 pip: 32 Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver pip: 37 score: 0 Blue is Player 1
XGID=--DCB-B--------------dd-d-:0:0:1:00:0:0:3:0:10
Blue on roll, cube action?

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03

In position, blue will reach a reference position that wastes 11 pips. Hint - there'll be 1 checker on the 5pt! I'll leave 3 & 4 to you. Exercise 3: subtle Nuances follows shortly.

NBM

3

		White is Player 2 score: 0 pip: 30 Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver pip: 31 score: 0 Blue is Player 1
XGID=-BCCB-A--------------dbbd-:0:0:1:00:0:0:3:0:10
Blue on roll, cube action?

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03

4

		White is Player 2 score: 0 pip: 34 Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver pip: 37 score: 0 Blue is Player 1
XGID=--BEC-A-------------ace-b-:0:0:1:00:0:0:3:0:10
Blue on roll, cube action?

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03