BGonline.org Forums

2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame

Posted By: Nack Ballard
Date: Friday, 11 December 2009, at 4:16 a.m.

In Response To: 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame (Timothy Chow)

So if I follow correctly, your argument is that in many cases, if I have the opportunity to make a good anchor immediately, then that might be more attractive than leaping, because the anchor significantly increases my chances of getting both checkers over the prime more-or-less simultaneously. However, if I don't have an immediate opportunity to anchor, and I do have the immediate opportunity to leap, then leaping may be better, because the chances of making an anchor eventually may be too remote to offset the risk of getting two checkers closed out. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Is that about right?

Yes, that sounds right, except that there are almost always steps prior to getting closed out (which either you didn't consider, or you assumed and didn't bother to mention -- I'm not sure which).

Let's say that, in the first position you showed, Blue runs the back checker with Bar/17 (instead of the front checker with Bar/23 15/9), gets both checkers hit and anchors on his 19pt (White's 6pt). For a multitude of reasons, White can trap Blue off his 19pt anchor much more safely and with a higher rate of success than she can trap Blue off his 15pt anchor. With each point that Blue gets pushed back, the further his slime chances deteriorate.

In other words, it's not just about whether you can anchor but where you can anchor. In your third position, if Blue runs the front checker with 15/7 (instead of anchoring on the 15pt), then typically in the good cases he'll get one checker to safety but the other checker primed (and gradually closed out) with only three off, and typically in the bad cases he'll be anchoring and reanchoring but further back and he'll need extreme luck (instead of fairly great luck) to overcome proper technique.

Nack

Messages In This Thread

• 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
  Timothy Chow -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 12:09 a.m.
  • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
    neilkaz -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 12:44 a.m.
    • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
      Daniel Murphy -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 1:01 a.m.
      • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
        Timothy Chow -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 5:18 p.m.
        • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
          Rich Munitz -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 5:52 p.m.
          • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
            neilkaz -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 8:46 p.m.
        • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
          Nack Ballard -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 8:47 p.m.
          • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
            Rich Munitz -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 10:29 p.m.
            • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
              Nack Ballard -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 1:28 a.m.
              • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
                Timothy Chow -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 2:16 a.m.
                • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
                  Nack Ballard -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 4:16 a.m.
                  • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
                    Michael Depreli -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 9:58 a.m.
                    • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
                      Nack Ballard -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 9:53 p.m.
              • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
                Rich Munitz -- Friday, 11 December 2009, at 3:42 a.m.
  • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
    Rich Munitz -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 2:54 a.m.
  • 2 checkers back vs. 1 checker back against a superbackgame
    Matt Cohn-Geier -- Thursday, 10 December 2009, at 8:03 p.m.