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Bazuki Gammon--prop play

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Wednesday, 5 December 2018, at 11:46 a.m.

This position came up in a Bazuki match between Nick Blasier and me late Sunday night.

How should Blue play 6-1? Should he leave a 1 shot or a 6 shot?

It is quite complicated, and I am not sure of the answer. If Blue leaves the 6 shot (which is the play in "normal" backgammon), the other player probably should just roll the dice and hope he hits, which is 17 times. He should not use his bazuki as he doesn't necessarily win the game with it.

But what if Blue leaves a 1 shot. White now has a joker 11, he can double, and Blue knows if he takes white will call 11 and he'll be in trouble.

So if you leave the 1 shot, take the cube, and he calls 11, you still have your bazuki and how often will you get gammoned if you can use the bazuki? But you might win the game if your opponent ever leaves a shot, because you will hit it every time.

Now what Jim says is that Blue should leave the 1 shot and White should not double and use his bazuki. I can see the logic, as if he rolls the 1 he is in great shot, and if he misses he's still got plenty of life.

So I maintain that the right play is to leave the 6 shot. Pasko says that is wrong and he would prop it. I am pretty sure it's a bad bet to bet against Pasko, so I know I am missing something, but I sure as hell don't know what it is.

		White is Player 1 score: 0 pip: 90 3 point match pip: 84 score: 0 Blue is Player 2
XGID=-ABBBBB-AAb----bB--b-bbcb-:0:0:-1:61:0:0:0:3:10
Blue to play 61

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.211.pre-release

Messages In This Thread

• Bazuki Gammon--prop play
  Phil Simborg -- Wednesday, 5 December 2018, at 11:46 a.m.
  • Bazuki Gammon--prop play
    Bob Koca -- Wednesday, 5 December 2018, at 2:45 p.m.