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I Screwed Up My BackGame Defense Checker Play

Posted By: Stick
Date: Tuesday, 2 December 2014, at 9:06 p.m.

In Response To: I Screwed Up My BackGame Defense Checker Play (Paul Weaver)

I've stated this before in the past numerous times, with positions where you're trying to understand the position as a stand alone position I'd much prefer if you switched it to unlimited games. I assume you're interested in how to play all of these positions in general and not at 6a 6a. Does the score have any effect on any of the correct plays? I don't know...but I don't want to have to worry about it. I understand that's how it came up OtB but I think it's more useful to stick a standard unlimited tag on the positions and go from there instead of having some funky backgammon value changing what would normally be correct to a different play.

That being said, here's my take on the November Nine.

Number 1
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 194
9 point match
pip: 165
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-ab-cBCBB-B-b-----AdaaBa-A:1:-1:1:52:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 52

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

I don't want to hit the checker on the 23pt even in conjunction with the checker on my ace point. The checker on the 23pt is already in a bad spot, semi dead, let it rot. That makes bar/20* a given. After that of the remaining twos I only see a point behind taking the 20pt anchor. It's not that we want or need the anchor, it's that we want to prohibit the opponent from hitting loose developing his remaining stack on the 6pt there. Force him to play behind us. Force him not to hit us so we don't risk picking up those deep inner board blots of his. Hold the anchor for a couple turns and let him crumble.

bar/20* 22/20

Number 2

There are only two candidate plays in my book here since again, we don't want to hit his lower inner board blots. I also don't want to hit his slotted six point at this time. He has enough men back. I'd rather he enter and be able to play that checker deep in his inner board. Since I'm not hitting my play is either 24/18 16/14 or 10/2*.

With the former play, the non hitting play, we allow the opponent to enter and likely grab a third anchor. He then has five checkers he'll push to the lower points but it won't completely destroy his position. Five checkers semi buried is the typical turnout for this.

10/2* opens up a few potential doors. First, there's the not so obvious blitz! If the opponent happens to fan or enter one checker without taking another anchor we may switch to all out blitz mode. In these variations we make a four point board quickly and all those blots I've been talking about not picking up we put on the bar buying ourselves plenty of time to get around the board.

If we aren't lucky enough to having the blitzing variation come about we fall back to recycling, remaking our prime, and finding a way to bust the opponent's anchors at an inopportune time for him. This is a more long term goal and hard to imagine unless you have played out similar positions. There's very little drawback to attempting this. It's not like the opponent is going to roll well and BAM! like Batman he springs ten men from behind our five prime.

10/2*

Number 3
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 245
9 point match
pip: 143
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=aabccBBBBBB---A---AabAaa--:1:-1:1:54:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 54

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

I hate to "next" one of these positions but it's a next in the sense of it's exactly the same type problem as #2. Whatever you played for #2 should apply here so...

10/1*

Number 4
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 243
9 point match
pip: 134
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-acccBBBBBB-A-A---Aab-aa--:1:-1:1:52:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 52

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

Now that we can't hit from the back of the prime (or from a point that may force an anchor to break upon entering) hitting on the ace point is out. In these positions it's better to have spares on the five point than the six point so 10/5 kicks it off for me. After that I don't know whether we should remake the prime allowing him to kill his upper inner board checkers with fives and fours or leave it slotted hoping to be hit and playing the recirculation game still. I'll keep it simple though it never is in this type of game.

12/5

Number 5
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 238
9 point match
pip: 127
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-acccBBBBBBAA-A-----a-ca--:1:-1:1:21:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 21

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

Now I'm sure we lift the back of the prime since there's nothing else constructive in the least to do and we got the opponent to crunch a bit already.

10/7

Number 6
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 234
9 point match
pip: 124
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-acccBBBCBB-A-A-------bc--:1:-1:1:54:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 54

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

Again, this is the same theme with 3 problems now.

10/1*

Number 7
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 234
9 point match
pip: 115
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=-acccCBBCBB-A---------bc--:1:-1:1:53:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 53

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

Did I say 3 problems? I must have mean 4. This one is slightly different since we can't hit from the clear rear of the prime but that isn't enough to sway me. What else am I going to play?

9/1*

Number 8
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 229
9 point match
pip: 107
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=--bceCBDCBA-----------bc--:1:-1:1:32:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 32

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

As I've already said, we want the men on our five point. We would also like to look ahead to a point where we can force the opponent to break an anchor. Here that anchor would be the rearmost, 23pt anchor, the one with only two checkers on it. How will we do that? By breaking the 7pt if possible and having fives still blocked elsewhere.

8/5 7/5

Number 9
White is Player 2

score: 3
pip: 228
9 point match
pip: 102
score: 3

Blue is Player 1
XGID=--bceCCEBB------------bba-:1:-1:1:22:3:3:0:9:10
Blue to play 22

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.206.pre-release

I gave away the answer to this one in the last problem.

7/5(4)

Stick

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