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BGonline.org Forums
Match play reading
Posted By: Stick In Response To: Match play reading (Alex Schofield)
Date: Sunday, 13 September 2015, at 10:50 p.m.
I'm under the impression that Alex was looking for material when he was significantly ahead in the match. Lopsided scores for the most part, not simply leading 4a 5a etc...though those scores deserve their own special attention too. He's suffering from a common ailment that I often see from players. They get a lead and then they're scared to ever cube again often until after they've blown clear by their market. The scenario the leading player often imagines is "Well, if I cube and he recubes to 4 he's caught up so much already" or something similar.
First, I would try searching the forums for the last 10 years inputting something like "lopsided score" and that result should get you quite a few cube decisions to look at.
As already mentioned, posts by John O'Hagan, esp. ones which he started, are generally geared toward match play. I recommend soaking everything up you can from John's posts but often they will be over your head with 'your' referring to most players here. John knows how to calculate take points, John knows gammon values or how to calculate them, John is very good at estimating wins and net gammon losses, John has created many short cuts for certain scores that he knows backwards and forwards. These pieces of the puzzle can't be added on a wing. It takes long term hard devotion and study to be comfortable using approaching the game this way.
Kit's Article on the 5pt Match was already referenced too and I would like to second or third or fourth reading it. Though again, I think you were asking more about more lopsided scores though even understanding 2a 5a will help. (all 2a scores can be lumped together in a sense)
I already covered those common scores more in depth on Gammonvillage
From there you are running thin on options. There are other articles or books that will add a little to your game but nothing significant if you're already covered the above material. If there's a score you don't understand I recommend you play it out. In other words, let's say you have no idea when to cube at 3a 7a as the leader. Start a game/match at 3a 7a. Play it out. When that game is over, restart again, and again, and again, and again, and ad nauseum. You will start to realize the situations you should be cubing in and aren't and perhaps when you are cubing and shouldn't be. XG and it's bloody colors are always good motivation. If anything trips you up that's what these forums are for. Post it here and a John O' or Neil K or other random donkey will likely clear things up for you.
Lastly, I will shamelessly plug lessons from someone like John or myself. We rock. Find what works for you, it isn't the same for everyone. You need to keep it fresh somehow. Keep it fun.
Stick
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