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The cube is dead. Effectively, this is DMP. After this play, White will lead by 18 pips. Give him another 4, because he is on roll. Blue needs to roll very well, or otherwise, must hit. In a close race, Blue would make the midpoint, in order minimize shots, and stymie White when he rolls 11, 22 or 31. Trailing by so much, however, Blue does not have to worry too much about being hit. If he is hit, his racing chances will go from poor to very poor. Meanwhile, his chances to hit White may increase if he is sent back. Given a choice, White will often pass without hitting. I like switching points. By making the 4pt, [6/4 5/4], Blue maximizes contact. In the event that this evolves into a pure race, Blue will benefit by having filled the gap. When gammons matter, should Blue make the midpoint? Perhaps. I am not sure. Mike | ||||||||||
