From the Department of Anecdotal Evidence: I found an old example of a bold play I observed on FIBS from a match between two 1400s players:
         
 
         
 | | White is Player 2
score: 2
pip: 72 | 3 point match
Crawford | pip: 120
score: 0
Blue is Player 1 |
|
| XGID=-BBB-BBa--AA------bAdd-Bd-:0:0:1:33:0:2:1:3:10 |
| Blue to play 33 |
| 1. | XG Roller++ | 19/16 11/8 10/7* 7/4 | eq: +0.402 |
| Player:
Opponent: | 69.86% (G:6.80% B:0.08%)
30.14% (G:10.40% B:0.43%) | |
|
| 2. | XG Roller++ | 19/7* | eq: +0.356 (-0.046) |
| Player:
Opponent: | 67.51% (G:7.47% B:0.12%)
32.49% (G:7.30% B:0.23%) | |
|
| 3. | XG Roller++ | 19/13 10/7* 7/4 | eq: +0.356 (-0.046) |
| Player:
Opponent: | 67.55% (G:6.52% B:0.09%)
32.45% (G:10.67% B:0.36%) | |
|
| 4. | XG Roller++ | 19/13 11/8 10/7* | eq: +0.321 (-0.081) |
| Player:
Opponent: | 65.80% (G:6.62% B:0.11%)
34.20% (G:7.42% B:0.24%) | |
|
| 5. | 3-ply | 19/16 11/5 10/7* | eq: +0.322 (-0.081) |
| Player:
Opponent: | 65.80% (G:6.95% B:0.11%)
34.20% (G:5.66% B:0.11%) | |
|
Both these players were in the 1400s on FIBS 2000-02-26, with high experience points. Player 1 got this play correct! This play is right for money too, but for a different set of reasons; it's that you can then use the cube to win the game if they fan, but stay alive if they hit.
|
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10, MET: Kazaross XG2
There is no chance that either of these players cheated. 1) If they cheated, ever, why would they have ratings in the 1400s? and 2) To the best of my knowledge, neither had access to a bot to help them cheat. What were they going to do, "Phone a friend?"
My experience is that players don't go through any predictable stages in their journey from plankton to world domination in backgammon. They start at different points, and take many long and winding roads. They read various books, play some types of opponents more often than others, exhibit different learning styles, and have varying tendencies based on their personality and experiences outside the game. It may also matter what other games they play at least semi-seriously outside of backgammon, if any. So I don't assume there are any plays that intermediates will or will not make--or even that there are plays that any particular intermediate will not make when the stars align just so.