BGonline.org Forums

Early 33

Posted By: ah_clem
Date: Friday, 9 August 2019, at 7:37 p.m.

I've always struggled with an early roll of 33, mainly because there are so many options:

Any two of

• make your 5 point
• make your three point
• bring two down from the midpoint
• make the defensive four point

In addition, you can make either bar point or sometimes hit a checker or two. That's a lot of choices, the problem is remembering or figuring out which one is best.

I've taken a stab at a mnemonic to help keep things straight. I've opted for simplicity over perfect, thinking that at my level an error of less than .02 is lost in the noise. Here it is, comments appreciated.

I looked at XG's opening book for all the "usual" openings followed by a roll of 33 and transferred it to a spreadsheet. My definition of "usual" may vary from yours; comparing it to Nack/Tim's sheet (http://timothychow.net/2ndroll_bill.pdf) I include 32U and 54R since I see them sometimes and I didn't include 62$ at first.

I find that 14 of the 32 openers are best responded by B (24/21(2) 13/10(2) ) and there's another four cases where B is a small error ( < .02).* I may at some time attempt to memorize those four, but for now I'm just going to say "Play B unless it's one of the exceptions".

Another 11 cases allow you to point on your opponent's head, and that's best according to XG. I don't need to memorize these since I'll know them when I see them.

For 62$, you hit two (24/23 or 13/10 for the fourth three is a push at .005)

That leaves six openers that I'll just have to remember unless I can ascertain a guiding principle to help me remember:

Play 24/21(2) 8/5(2) for

• 21$
• 51$
• 32D
• 43D

and play 24/21(2) 6/3(2) for

• 42P
• 52D

.

Comments, criticisms, corrections cheerfully accepted. I may get around to 33 responses AtS sometime.

* the four "B" openers for which 33 is not best are (error in parens):

• 62R (.017)
• 54D (.005)
• 64R (.012)
• 41$ (.013)

Messages In This Thread

• Early 33
  ah_clem -- Friday, 9 August 2019, at 7:37 p.m.
  • Early 33
    John O'Hagan -- Sunday, 11 August 2019, at 8:24 p.m.
    • Early 33
      ah_clem -- Sunday, 11 August 2019, at 10:14 p.m.
  • Replying with 33
    Nack Ballard -- Saturday, 17 August 2019, at 8:35 p.m.