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Match Equity 101

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Monday, 5 October 2009, at 3:49 p.m.

In Response To: Match Equity 101 (Max Urban)

Of course, memorizing the take points for every score is best, if you have that good a memory. Being able to calculate them is great, if you are that good, over the board, at calculating take points.

For those of us not so skilled, and I include myself in this category, along with virtually all my students (who are beginner, intermediate, and low open players), I have a different short cut for take points.

1. Make sure you fully understand the take point and POG for money games and the reasoning behind it.

2. Use that take point and POG for match play for most scores that are not too close to the end of the match and you won't be too far off.

3. For the "unusual" scores where the take point and POG's are very different from money, simply remember what those scores are and learn those numbers. I concentrate on 5away/5away and down. It doesn't take long to learn that 2away/2away is 31.5, and 2away/4away is 18 and 19, and 2away/3away is 26.5 for the leader etc. etc. I round off all the numbers to make it easier to remember, and rounding off is close enough for players who aren't going to be that precise in estimating wins and losses over the board anyway.

4. To make it easier to remember and learn, I put all the take points and POG on a little card, printed it, pasted it back-to-back, and laminated the card. My students post this card on their wall above their computer and carry it with them to check it between matches (don't look during a match--that's cheating!). Eventually, you won't have to look at the card any more.

If you would like me to send you (or anyone else) a printable version of the card showing take points and POG (from Snowie's mets, and rounded off), shoot me an email at psimborg@inwk.com and I'll send it to you.

Messages In This Thread

• Match Equity 101
  Max Urban -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 3:10 p.m.
  • Match Equity 101
    Phil Simborg -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 3:49 p.m.
    • POG???
      Andreas -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 4:16 p.m.
      • POG???
        Phil simborg -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 4:49 p.m.
        • POG???
          Andreas -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 11:34 p.m.
      • POG???
        W Womack -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 5:11 p.m.
    • Match Equity 101
      W Womack -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 5:17 p.m.
  • Match Equity 101
    Matt Cohn-Geier -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 4:29 p.m.
    • Match Equity 101
      neilkaz -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 4:35 p.m.
      • Match Equity 101
        Matt Cohn-Geier -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 4:44 p.m.
        • Match Equity 101
          John O'Hagan -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 5:43 p.m.
    • Match Equity 101
      Seth -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 5:10 p.m.
  • Match Equity 101
    Stick -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 6:19 p.m.
    • Match Equity 101
      David Rockwell -- Monday, 5 October 2009, at 7:31 p.m.