eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.03 Dmitriy: Clearing 7pt before 8pt is a standard tactic against 2pt game. After posting, I looked up Problem 80 in Understanding Backgammon by Kit Woolsey and Tami Jones. In a normal bear in against a 2pt anchor, such as Problem 80 above, Kit explains that rolling a 5 is a problem after you clear the 8pt. The checkers on the 7pt cannot play a 5, so any 5 you roll must be played 6/1. While waiting to clear the 7pt, the 5s you roll may cause you to strip, and then abandon, the 6pt. If you clear the 7pt before clearing the 8pt, however, then most 5s are clearing rolls, and while you are waiting, the roll of most 6s does not cause your position to deteriorate very much at all. The reason for clearing the 7pt is so you can hold the 6pt as long as possible while you are trying to clear the 8pt. In David’s original position, after Blue hits, rolling a 5 is a good thing. It is the escape number Blue needs. This circumstance is subtly different from Problem 80. In David’s position, the reason it is better to clear the 7pt is so that you can hold the 8pt as long as possible while you are waiting to escape. Incidentally, having got the explanation right in Position 80, Kit gives a recommended move that comes up third-best in an XG rollout! What would you play and why? Mike | ||||||||||||
