After moving 51, Black trails 28 pips. What game plan will fit to this racing disadvantage? A holding game. In chess, there is a concept not to look after the openings, but to the developing pawn structure and its similarities. I think, we can make the same in backgammon ( bold play vs. safe play criteria is a great example). Under the light of robustness, I will identify the checkers to be longer in place:
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| XGID=---BB---------------B-----:1:-1:1:51:0:0:0:0:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 51 | |||||
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03
Where do we have our spares for playability? Which ace is less comitting? What to do with the guard? The ace, i will play 6/5. This points are faster to rebuild. A checker on the ace is disgusting. A position without the slotted ace has more degrees of freedom.
Now the five. The midpoint has soon to go. Here is the material to rebuild the homeboard points. And with two blots in the homeboard, there is the risk of being attacked. So i want to button up, connect the back position on its own, playing simply 23/18. Two holding points are usually to much bounded material, but the best transient solution, until the board is back again. With two points standing in a six point block, white has enough difficulties for coming home.
6/5 23/18.