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41S-52S-32@-32E-61P-53

Posted By: Nack Ballard
Date: Tuesday, 31 January 2012, at 10:10 p.m.

In Response To: 41S-52S-32@-21I-61P-53 (pontiac)


 ' '2O ' '5X2X2X1X ' '4O

 ' '1O2X '4O '4O ' ' '3X

41S-52S-32@-32E-61P-53



 ' '2O ' '5X2X2X1X ' '4O

 ' '2O2X1O4O '2O ' ' '3X

.....................Blue played J


While white's board is stronger why do you slot at 5pt and give her hit chance? and also strip the 8pt? After slotting the 5pt you have only 1 and 8 to cover.

I'm a bit confused by your wording. White's one-point board is weaker than Blue's two-point board. Perhaps you mean that White's prime (consisting of 8pt+7pt+6pt) is stronger, but the relative strength of the boards (inside points) is what is tactically more important. Slotting in front of an anchor entices White to break that anchor. If she does so, Blue hopes to get tactical counterplay at White's blots (perhaps as many as three -- the two created by the broken anchor plus the existing one on her 9pt). If Blue is able to hit back, his extra inside point makes it more likely White will fan or enter awkwardly, and Blue's advantage in any ongoing hitting battle will persist.

In short, slotting is an accelerated approach for catching up in the blocking/point-making contest. Blue is slotting at a time when he has a tactical advantage and can therefore afford to do so. White is relatively less motivated to risk hitting when it costs her an advanced anchor and she has a weak or weaker board.

Why she doesnt hit by 6-1, 5-1, 3-1 ? How do you play these rolls?

With 31, she should definitely cover the 9pt (completing a four-prime that blocks Blue's largest numbers). Look how ugly 21/20* 9/6 is; even if she subsequently gets both back checkers to safety, she may have problems from there; and chances are that she'll get hit before that happens.

With 51 or 61, it is not so bad for White to hit because the strong alternative of covering the 9pt does not exist. Still, she must fear reprisal with Blue's 6s hit back on his 16pt (plus whatever numbers might hit back on his own side of the board). Rather than have three blots exposed, White should forgo the hit: it looks better to play D (Down: 13/8 9/8 or 13/7 9/8).

Even when hitting is correct with all the aces, slotting can be a fine strategy. As long as at least some of the ace-hits gain only a little bit, there is sometimes enough compensation (in having a good chance to cover the slotted point) when the opponent misses.

Backing up a move (assuming my listed sequence is what actually happened), we see that Blue had a chance to slot on his previous roll:


1O '1O ' '5X2X2X1X ' '4O

 ' ' '2X '5O '4O ' ' '3X

41S-52S-32@-32


Blue played E (Each, 24/22 6/3). Perhaps instead Blue should play C (Cross, 24/22 8/5). I'm not sure it's right, but it's at least worth considering. Slotting does not look as compelling here (Blue has one fewer point in his board, and he has less catching up to do in the priming contest) but with the 8pt spare (not present in the later position) I would still try it.

Nack

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