[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

BGonline.org Forums

Reports of My 62R are a Little Exaggerated

Posted By: mamabear
Date: Thursday, 10 June 2010, at 10:22 a.m.

In Response To: Unusual opening moves (Nack Ballard)

It is very rare that I would play an opening 62R. The one time in the last 100 years that I have done so in a match, was in the final of the online qualifier for the US Open. The score was 2A5A, and the opponent was Falafel. I played the run because a) the main strength of split-and-down over the run is that it wins you more gammons, and I have no intention of playing hard for the gammon rather than keeping the win in hand at the score; and in any case, if Falafel doubles then my gammons don't matter anyway. b) The cube action can be quite sharp at this score if Falafel reaches a gammonish position against me, more likely in the early going after the split and down, and I'm not so sure I know the "answers" at this score (later on it's probably about the same number of gammonish situations, so I'll worry about that if it happens) and c) the running play, to the extent that this is possible, takes Falafel "out of the book".

The only other time I can think of that I would consider playing the run is in the first game or two against a new opponent who has made it clear he thinks I'm a fish. There's nothing like a .025 error in the opening to make someone not notice anything good about the rest of your playing for two or three hours, or maybe a lifetime, who knows?

Back to the "out of the book" thing: I do occasionally see 62R from other players. If I do, I don't worry what the bot will say about how I respond. Unless they're trying to make me think they're a fish (imagine that!) chances are they prefer simple variations to complexity. And so if I roll a 62 back, I'm not going to play 24/16 myself as the bot says to do; I am going to make the reverse split (24/22 13/7) and tell Snowie to throw its .017 ding off an overpass. If you've heard me recommend that play before, it was in my article on Splots for the final issue of the late, lamented Indianapolis BG club newsletter.

Messages In This Thread

 

Post Response
Your Name:
Your E-Mail Address:
Subject:
Message:

If necessary, enter your password below:

Password:
 

 

[ View Thread ] [ Post Response ] [ Return to Index ] [ Read Prev Msg ] [ Read Next Msg ]

BGonline.org Forums is maintained by Stick with WebBBS 5.12.