[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

BGonline.org Forums

The Curious Case of Benjamin's Button -- SOLUTIONS

Posted By: Nack Ballard
Date: Thursday, 23 November 2017, at 6:40 p.m.

In Response To: The Curious Case of Benjamin's Button -- SOLUTIONS (Bob Koca)

I thought bull off was a commonly known term. Danny Kleinman coined it for a bearing off play where the best play is one that does not minimize the expected remaining rolls to bear off. An example is suppose you have 3 checkers on the two point and one on the 3 point with an ace to play. Playing 2-1 minimizes the expected rolls left but playing 3-2 makes being off in one more likely and may be the better play, for example if opponent is surely off the gammon by his 2nd shake.

Good example. I'm well aware of the concept, just not of the term "bull off."

I was unable to find this term online, even in the Backgammon Galore glossary, but after you clued me in it came from Danny Kleinman, I found it on page 153 of his book Vision Laughs at Counting. (Anywhere else?)

Interestingly, Kleinman provides a counter-example of 333222 vs 21111, where Jerry as chouette captain played 2/1, his partner grimaced, the sequence went 54-nondoublet-22 so that Jerry lost because of his (correct) ace, and his partner jumped up and down and shouted for all the world to hear a big I-told-you-so for not making the (incorrect) bull-off play of 3/2.

Your example starts after the 54-nondoublet exchange, where the bull-off play is correct.

The opposite situation could also occur where a play goes for less variability at the expense of a higher expected number of rolls remaining. Two plays could thus give identical distributions of rolls to bear off but not have identical equity since one might better lead to that possibility.

Agreed. That is a conceivable scenario and I did consider it.

I have looked more at the position and it does not seem to be the case here though.

Right. I found it hard to imagine how it could be, given that each and all of the 1-roll, 2-roll, 3-roll and 4-roll bear-off chances are identical.

Nack

Messages In This Thread

 

Post Response
Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Subject:
Message:

If necessary, enter your password below:

Password:
 

 

[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

BGonline.org Forums is maintained by Stick with WebBBS 5.12.