The rollouts below are not completely significant, but both indicate that "blotty" play is best in the two variants.
My commentary can be found here and here.
Variant 1

              
 
              
 | | White is Player 2
score: 0 pip: 128 | Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver | pip: 131 score: 0
Blue is Player 1 | |
| XGID=--B-A-D-C-b-cC---dBc-aaa--:0:0:1:63:0:0:3:0:10 |
| Blue to play 63 |
| 1. | Rollout1 | 13/7 8/5 | eq: +0.0025 |
| Player: Opponent: | 50.35% (G:4.02% B:0.09%) 49.65% (G:2.59% B:0.10%) | Conf.: ±0.0046 (-0.0021...+0.0071) - [94.3%] Duration: 26 minutes 06 seconds |
|
| 2. | Rollout1 | 13/7 6/3 | eq: -0.0030 (-0.0055) |
| Player: Opponent: | 50.06% (G:4.10% B:0.10%) 49.94% (G:2.91% B:0.13%) | Conf.: ±0.0050 (-0.0079...+0.0020) - [5.7%] Duration: 24 minutes 52 seconds |
|
| 3. | Rollout1 | 13/4 | eq: -0.0157 (-0.0182) |
| Player: Opponent: | 49.65% (G:3.92% B:0.11%) 50.35% (G:2.89% B:0.11%) | Conf.: ±0.0048 (-0.0205...-0.0110) - [0.0%] Duration: 24 minutes 14 seconds |
|
| |
1 5184 Games rolled with Variance Reduction. Dice Seed: 72338940 Moves: 3-ply, cube decisions: XG Roller
|
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10
Variant 2

              
 
              
 | | White is Player 2
score: 0 pip: 128 | Unlimited Game Jacoby Beaver | pip: 132 score: 0
Blue is Player 1 | |
| XGID=--B--AD-C-b-cC---dBc-aaa--:0:0:1:62:0:0:3:0:10 |
| Blue to play 62 |
| 1. | Rollout1 | 13/7 6/4 | eq: -0.0421 |
| Player: Opponent: | 48.90% (G:4.12% B:0.11%) 51.10% (G:2.71% B:0.12%) | Conf.: ±0.0047 (-0.0467...-0.0374) - [89.8%] Duration: 26 minutes 11 seconds |
|
| 2. | Rollout1 | 13/5 | eq: -0.0463 (-0.0043) |
| Player: Opponent: | 48.70% (G:3.88% B:0.10%) 51.30% (G:2.68% B:0.11%) | Conf.: ±0.0046 (-0.0509...-0.0417) - [10.1%] Duration: 24 minutes 03 seconds |
|
| 3. | Rollout1 | 13/7 8/6 | eq: -0.0515 (-0.0094) |
| Player: Opponent: | 48.45% (G:3.99% B:0.10%) 51.55% (G:2.88% B:0.14%) | Conf.: ±0.0046 (-0.0561...-0.0469) - [0.1%] Duration: 22 minutes 12 seconds |
|
| |
1 5184 Games rolled with Variance Reduction. Dice Seed: 72338940 Moves: 3-ply, cube decisions: XG Roller
|
eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10
Mike