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BGonline.org Forums
More cube action after taking my earlier post
Posted By: Coolrey In Response To: More cube action after taking my earlier post (Bob Koca)
Date: Thursday, 30 April 2009, at 5:37 p.m.
Well, you aren't losing as much equity by doubling late, as you can by doubling early... Especially since you are creating the leverage that your opponent is going to use to wreac havoc on your psyche with.
In this situation the only gain from redoubling is the extra point you need to win the match assuming you do NOT win a gammon, in which case there is NO gain from it.
The RISK, is 6 extra points that you can lose on the rewhip so effectively you are giving him 5 to one odds on your redouble. You can only gain 15% match equity by redoubling and winning... At those times when you don't win a gammon.
I think Rory is past the playing scared mode, in fact young guys don't seem to even have the playing scared mode!
The real tragedy of doubling this type of position, even if it was RIGHT to do so technically... Is that you don't experience both sides of the coin. If you are doubling these, as I USED to do too...
You never get to LOSE this game, with the cube still on 2, and experience the calming influence that your good judgement has just saved this match for you. Still leading 6-5/9, you will embark on the next game secure in the knowlege that your match management skills just rescued your MWC's from the fate that befell them when you let Stick talk you into doubling at the LAST tournament! That leads to inner peace.
As your opponent is hitting his fly shots, and you are fanning on his meager board time after time, it will be comforting to look down and see the cube on 2 resting on your side of the board, (and realizing it might well have been on 8)... and you will not be rolling with any particular sense of urgency when he leaves you consecutive direct or fly shots from the roof. Whether you hit those now, is not a matter of your life or death in the tournament.
You enable yourself to survive adversity by not redoubling these positions.
If you redouble you put your fate in the hands of the dice gods, and they seem to have a perverse perception of justice sometimes, don't they? Backgammon is a game of adversity, and maintaining access to the cube is just intelligent disaster management. Like carrying snow chains, or wearing your seatbelt.
Shit happens, but it will have to happen more than once for me to lose this match... That's the point.
In real terms I have played matches v. Gnu where I had 5 missed doubles and still was an expert with the cube... While making one bad double has resulted in an "awful" rating.
One has to temper his cube actions with a lead, but of course it is always possible to overdo it. If you are so afraid that you are going to miss 95% racing doubles, you certainly don't have the required courage to take Rory's initial position much less to rewhip it here. All of these things come under the heading of emotional control. That is developed with experience and young men like Stick and Rory are more prone to err taking action. To die with their boots on, so to speak. I like to take my boots off and enjoy these kind of games where I am holding the cube and he is on the bar and I am making his other blot dance with my 6 shooter. No risk! Dance, MFer, dance!
Young poker players overuse the "All in" bet, according to the old pros... It can work, but when it doesn't, they are left talking to themselves. Eventually the young guns develop some restraint, as I just saw Stick do in Vegas.
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