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BGonline.org Forums
The interesting 41T 1st roll move
Posted By: David Rockwell In Response To: 52D-21 (Rich Munitz)
Date: Sunday, 18 October 2009, at 3:07 p.m.
Much of my interest in this subject is due to the unusual 41T (Tower 13-8) opening move. This move creates a position which is identical to the opening position in many respects. The extra builder creates a better attacking threat. It also puts more punch in 3rd roll moves such as 31P by having an extra spare on the eight and an additional checker in the zone. But, it is largely the same position as the opening position other than a five pip difference in the race.
After 41T, the only 3rd move roll which actually immediately attacks the split back checkers because of the extra spare on the eight is 44. When you inspect the equity differences between the split on the opening roll and the split after 41T, you find them spread among responding rolls. The attack with 44 and the additional equity in the 55 attacking move just don't add up to a lot of equity. The other thing to notice is that splitting is good. If you compare the equity of the responder with the back checkers split vs the original position, you will notice that it is better to be split. Splitting is less "dangerous" than being stuck on the ace. The reason to slot is that it is better than splitting, not that splitting is bad.
After 41T, I believe that slotting is correct with 21, 41 & 51. It is also interesting that 32 and 52 are best played down rather than split. I'm not sure about 54, but the down move is at least close. Slotting with 62 becomes much more reasonable than it is on the opening roll. Why does the simple T move cause all of these changes in the best response?
MCG gave an appealing explanation that makes sense. The explanation that I WANT to give is that slotting is correct because of the race. Attributing the effects mentioned above to the race is simple and very easy to apply. Calling it the race may or may not come to the same thing as MCG's explanation. But, I have not been able to convince myself that the race is the primary reason to explain what I am seeing. I suppose it just isn't that simple.
The reason that I care about "why" slotting is correct in these positions is that a good understanding of these 2nd roll positions will open the door to the correct answer on 3rd and subsequent rolls. How important is the race? How important is it to keep an anchor? How important are other factors? In later positions with a greater variety of choices, these considerations will not necesarily point to the same move choice.
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