Once upon a time i posted a position., containing the question to make or not to make the five point. I subscribed to GV for reading Stick’s advice:
“ 'Make the 5 point' confirmed.
As with many rules once you study them you can rework the wording to make them even more useful. For example with our 'make the 5 point' I often say 'make the 5 point unless the positions screams at you for some other play to be made'. The problem with these kinds of rules is that while they may work for me personally, positions don't scream to all in the same way. In the examples above #5 and #10 screamed at me they were of a different flavor and I wasn't steered in the wrong direction thanks to previous study. Some general points to take away from making the 5 point are that it often wins significantly more games, often wins more gammons, and usually loses less gammons than one would think in relation to the other plays. When deciding between some random play and making the 5 point, make the 5 point and safe yourself from harm. If you're wrong and make the 5 point your error is tiny whereas if you make the dreaded 'other' play, your error can go blunderful. “
Is making the 4 point a random play? Screams the position for some other play to be made? Can we come to conclusion, if we think, priming is our game plan, that making the 4 fits best to this goal? Is the rule of thumb, one checker isn’t so good to prime, because he needs fewer escaping numbers, for the trash can? What about the safe play vs. bold play and it’s application here? Questions over questions open. But the curtain isn’t closed.
I took an old book out of the cupboard. Looking closer for the bold play (+) vs. the safe play (-) criteria.
Your Opponent Has Closed Points in His Inner Board +
Do You Hold an Anchor in His Board? +
Number of points You Have Closed =
Blots in Your Opponent’s Inner Board -
Number of Men You Have Back +
Number of MenYour opponent Has Back +
That was brought us from the mountain long ago.
Your Opponent Has Closed Points in His Inner Board + : By now, only 2 points, 6 and 3. Against then 4 and 6. Do You Hold an Anchor in His Board? + : We hold an anchor. Number of points You Have Closed = : Points are tied, so no point for one or the other Direction. Blots in Your Opponent’s Inner Board - : He has no blot dangling. Number of Men You Have Back + : We have more men back. Number of MenYour opponent Has Back + : Only one man back. Summing up 4:1 for the bold play.
But what about a little fiddling, comparing similiar positions? We want to discover sameness in the different and otherness in the same, having some light on the cost.
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| XGID=-a--B-D-B---dE---c-e--b-B-:0:0:1:12:0:0:3:0:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 12 | |||||
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.00
Clear. Slotting the five and bring a builder down. Our criteria will fit.
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| XGID=-a---AD-C--AfD---b-d-b--B-:0:0:1:42:0:0:3:0:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 42 | |||||
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.00
If i look on the Ark of Covenant, i get the same result. But someone in my gut says with a screaming tone in his voice: "make your fivepoint". Okay. Another.
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| XGID=-a--B-D-B---fE---b-d-b--B-:0:0:1:12:0:0:3:0:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 12 | |||||
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.00
The screaming gets louder, voting against the bold play. Can we apply the ark on this positions? At first sight yes. But i think, we have to look at the quality of the 3 point v. the 4 point and the quality of the 8 point, stripped or with a spare. If we can anchor after a hit on 4 or 5, we took the 3 point out of play. Against the 4 point it is more difficult. And a blot on 5 against a made 4 point is a more paying goal. In the text position, the ark will fit, but mainly i think, due to the weaker 3 point. A stripped 8 can also be a target. And i don't know, if priming here is the main theme.
And OtB i would have made my 5 point.