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64P; 42P; 22

Posted By: Marty Storer
Date: Thursday, 9 July 2009, at 3:01 p.m.

In Response To: 64P; 42P; 22 (jdg)

Well, making the deep 2 point does several things (depending on how you classify a "thing"), some good and some bad.

1. Moves 10 pips forward in safety;

2. Gains a stronger inner board;

3. Makes a deep point with little blocking value, especially in conjunction with the 8 point;

4. Strips the 8 point (and unstacks the 6 point);

5. Causes your opponent's blocking game plan to gain greatly in value compared to other plans;

6. Predisposes you to racing, attacking (insofar as your board is stronger), and holding--that is, your made 2 point predisposes you to most to anti-blocking game plans.

Fine. Now your opponent replies with 42 and makes the 4 point. What's changed compared to the accomplishments, drawbacks, pros and cons of making your 2 point at the first turn?

1. Your opponent has made a good blocking point and achieved a better blocking structure than you have against him. He'll want to improve his structure further. You'll want to counter his attempts to do so.

2. Opponent has equalized strength of board (in terms of number of inside points made). Thus your attacking game plan has decreased in potential.

3. You remain ahead in the race, so your racing game plan is still attractive, a bit more so than at the first turn when opponent would expect to move about 8 pips forward (but actually moved 6).

So how does that affect the way you play 22?

Clearly, you have to move your back checkers, either to the 22 or 20 point. If you stop on the 22 point, clearly you should make your 4. Definitely not a hopeless play at all.

But I would make the 20 because my attacking prospects and especially my blocking prospects seem insufficiently improved after making the 22 and 4. Positional disadvantages are magnified after you weaken your blocking structure, and the 20 point gives a lot of safety and improves racing chances. It plays against opponent's blocking plan very directly, and that's the most important gain available, given that opponent has no blots.

Messages In This Thread

• 64P; 42P; 22
  jdg -- Monday, 6 July 2009, at 9:17 p.m.
  • 10 pips means alot
    neilkaz -- Tuesday, 7 July 2009, at 2:47 a.m.
    • 10 pips means alot
      Rich Munitz -- Tuesday, 7 July 2009, at 3:16 a.m.
      • 10 pips means alot
        Marty Storer -- Thursday, 9 July 2009, at 3:03 p.m.
    • 10 pips means alot
      Keene -- Tuesday, 7 July 2009, at 2:33 p.m.
  • other sequences
    David Rockwell -- Tuesday, 7 July 2009, at 3:22 a.m.
  • 64P; 42P; 22
    Marty Storer -- Thursday, 9 July 2009, at 3:01 p.m.