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What is your favorite?

Posted By: Phil Simborg
Date: Friday, 4 December 2009, at 12:30 p.m.

In Response To: What is your favorite? (Frank_N_Stein)

I have two favorites that really help me with my checker plays:

1. The game is here. Helps me focus on where the battle is really being fought and where I really need to concentrate.

2. Offense/Offense, defense/defense. This was drummed into me by Sly. If you are in an offensive position (up in the race, more inner board points, fewer checkers behind his prime, etc) and you have a choice of making an offensive more or defensive move, tend to make a more offensive move. If you are on the defense, tend to make a more defensive move.

These are examples of "rules of thumb"--I have 36 rules of thumb for Checker Play that I go over with all of my students, as they help lead you to the best play in most situations, and I have 28 rules of thumb for cube action that help you see the right cube decision.

All of these sayings, or rules of thumb are very helpful over the board. The problem is twofold:

1) Often there are 3 or 4 rules of thumb that apply to a given position and now you have to decide which one applies, and

2) One of my rules of thumb, which I credit Stick for adding to my list, is that "every position is different." Just because you have a rule of thumb that says "when you are up in the race, race", that doesn't mean that every time you are up in the race you should race. Sometimes, because of the score and other factors, you should still try to prime your opponent, or hit and try to blitz.

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