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the big thread about cube decisions the big thread about cube decisions

04-10-2015 , 04:03 AM
In the first position, which I will call 14a, Yellow trails in the race by 29 pips. If Black did not own his 7pt, I might try a take. But with it closed, I pass.

In the second, 14b, the anchor is worse, but the race deficit is only 13 pips. In a non-contact race, that would be a take. Does the contact favor Yellow? I figure it does, but only by a small amount. I take.

I'm cubing both of these.

I have a friend who carefully set up all sorts of holding game positions such as these, and made rollouts of the cube decisions. From the results, he was able to select the ones he uses as reference positions. You want to try the anchor on the 4pt, 5pt and 7pt. You want to try a variety of pip counts and vary the flexibility as well. You want to give Black just the 8pt and sometimes the bar point too.

Mike
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-10-2015 , 06:05 PM
Position 1 is a huge pass on the race (29 pips). White does considerably better here than in a straight race, but not by enough. So I think this is a solid pass.

Position 2 is a big take on the race (13 pips), though it would still be a double based on the race. But again I think White does better than in a straight race, so I think it's OK for Black to hold off for a little stronger position. Doubling isn't bad though, I'd probably double from the outside in my chouette because it means I get to consult .
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-11-2015 , 09:43 AM
I'm on mobile so I can't post the results, but you're both spot on. To me the positions looked so similar, and to have such differing results was a bit shocking. Clearly I'm not looking at the positions in enough detail. Thanks to both of you.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-11-2015 , 04:15 PM
White - Pips 131

Black - Pips 144
Position 14c. White on roll. Cube action?

Unlimited game, no Jacoby, no beavers
XGID=---B-BB-BAA-eC---cbcbB----:0:0:-1:00:0:0:3:0:10


This is a variation of your second position. I have added 7 pips to both players. The difference is still 13 pips.

What is the cube action now?

Mike
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-11-2015 , 05:20 PM
I think the side on roll is weaker here than in the previous position due to race being longer and having 5 checkers on the midpoint so it can't be cleared with 4-4 for instance. So no double.

Color me confused if this is stronger for the doubler...
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-11-2015 , 10:53 PM
Good explanation from _Z_.

No double/take for me too.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-12-2015 , 02:08 AM
If, there will not be very much to win. There are players who rather derive their advantage from their superior skill in difficult games than giving their inferior opponent a chance by supportive dice.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-12-2015 , 07:51 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fllecha
This is a very rare position and its imo only for accademic use, almost impossible to store as a reference position. Whatever: otb id probably double and I think at least 90% of 1600-1800 players would drop ( i call this "confusion drop") because of lack of outfield control and too many men back.
i agree, this position or any variants are highly ever to happen

this position is a disaster, IMO it's not practical to use brain power on this one.

drop
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-13-2015 , 01:11 AM
White - Pips 131

Black - Pips 144
Position 14c. White on roll. Cube action?

Unlimited game, no Jacoby, no beavers
XGID=---B-BB-BAA-eC---cbcbB----:0:0:-1:00:0:0:3:0:10


In a high-anchor holding game, so long as the race deficit is not too big, you can usually take.

Important factors include:
  • Just how big the deficit is.
  • Whether the player offering the cube owns any points besides his 8pt in the outer board.
  • How many checkers remain on the midpoint.
Owning a high anchor gives you both race equity and shot equity. When the race equity falls too low, the shot equity might or might not be enough to let you take. You need to study a few reference positions to develop a feel for which is which.

Owning the 7pt can make a big difference. Clearing both the midpoint and the 8pt is much easier when there is no gap on the 7pt. The taker’s shot equity goes down when the gap has been filled, so he needs more race equity if he is going to take.

Even when you have a sufficient racing advantage, it is often incorrect to cube until you get down to 4 or fewer checkers on the midpoint. That's because the opponent will still be taking (in most cases) even after you get down to 4. You have few or no market losers when you still have 5 or more checkers on the midpoint. When you get down to 4, however, rolling a doublet that clears the midpoint is usually a market loser. You must cube before that happens. Note that this Rule of 4 applies almost universally when there is a gap on the 7pt, and less so once that gap has been filled.

By this last rule, Position 14c is not a double. Due to the fact of the made 7pt, the decision is close, but my 5k rollout confirms the choice. Remember, from the original Position 14b, we already know that the opponent is still taking after you get down to 4 on the midpoint.

Mike


5k XG2 Rollout – Unlimited game, no Jacoby, no beavers

Code:
XGID=---B-BB-BAA-eC---cbcbB----:0:0:-1:00:0:0:3:0:10

X:Player 1   O:Player 2
Score is X:0 O:0. Unlimited Game, Jacoby Beaver
Pip count  X: 144  O: 131 X-O: 0-0
Cube: 1
O on roll, cube action

Analyzed in Rollout
No double
  Player Winning Chances:   72.86% (G:1.96% B:0.05%)
  Opponent Winning Chances: 27.14% (G:0.88% B:0.02%)
Double/Take
  Player Winning Chances:   73.01% (G:1.90% B:0.06%)
  Opponent Winning Chances: 26.99% (G:0.87% B:0.02%)

Cubeless Equities: No Double=+0.4684, Double=+0.9418

Cubeful Equities:
       No double:     +0.7834
       Double/Take:   +0.7702 (-0.0132)
       Double/Pass:   +1.0000 (+0.2166)

Best Cube action: No double / Take

Percentage of wrong pass needed to make the double decision right: 5.4%

Rollout:
  5184 Games rolled with Variance Reduction.
  Dice Seed: 33602149
  Moves: 3-ply, cube decisions: XG Roller
  Confidence No Double: ±0.0046 (+0.7789..+0.7880)
  Confidence Double:    ±0.0052 (+0.7650..+0.7754)

  Double Decision confidence: 100.0%
  Take Decision confidence: 100.0%

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-13-2015 , 08:10 AM
Impressive and great stuff by mike in the last post, gg.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-13-2015 , 08:42 AM
My thanks as always Mike. Time to start getting a few reference positions going, methinks.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 02:37 AM
Position ID: ZrYNADhsG1DgDA Match ID: UqkAAAAAAAAE

White - Pips 144

Black - Pips 167
Black on roll. Cube action?
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 03:39 AM
Man, this is a tough one, and I'm not sure which is the right way to go at all. I'm not sure it's a double, and I'm also not sure it's a take, which means it must be a double I suppose. White is going to be uncomfortable without a 6 very soon, and even with a 6 we will have a blot or two waiting to catch him after our roll. We have a spare blot on the 20 point, so lots of time on our side. We have a better trap, better threats, but are behind in the race.

Okay, having meandered my way through that, I double. I don't think it's a take. White has too many problems coming his way, and black has time on his side.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 04:57 AM
By Woolsey's Law, this must be a double. If White were guaranteed that he would be able to jump out whenever he needs to, and would never have to break another point in his block, then I think he could take. That does not look very likely, though. He is favored to crack on his very first roll!

Double/pass

Mike
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 05:00 AM
After posting, I tried the provided GnuBgID. It was fine, but showed this as a checker play with the roll 11 rather that a cube decision.

Here is the corrected XGID:

XGID=-c-BBBB------AA-bbbbCbBb--:2:1:1:00:0:0:0:0:10

Mike
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 05:46 AM
In gnu this one is working well, but often there is some dice jugglery.

By the way, do you think that moving a white checker from 1w to 2 will change an awful lot?
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 06:36 AM
I might wait a throw and see if white's next throw doesn't get him in even more trouble.

As white i would happily pass.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 01:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taper_Mike
After posting, I tried the provided GnuBgID. It was fine, but showed this as a checker play with the roll 11 rather that a cube decision.

Here is the corrected XGID:

XGID=-c-BBBB------AA-bbbbCbBb--:2:1:1:00:0:0:0:0:10

Mike
How do you import a position into XG using the ID? Everything I try asks for a file...
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 02:06 PM
Highlight and copy the ID here (Ctrl+C), switch to XG, and then press Ctrl+V to paste it in.

Mike
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 02:39 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kamba
I might wait a throw and see if white's next throw doesn't get him in even more trouble.

As white i would happily pass.
Basically you think there is some "too good" potential here?
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-15-2015 , 03:11 PM
Some potential, yes.
But you must know that my cube play is somewhat shaky.

Last edited by Kamba; 04-15-2015 at 03:38 PM.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-16-2015 , 01:14 PM


Code:
Cube analysis 
Rollout cubeless equity  +0,705 

Cubeful equities: 
1. Double, pass         +1,000 
2. Double, take         +1,238  ( +0,238) 
3. No double            +0,935  ( -0,065) 
Proper cube action: Redouble, pass
It's likely that white has to give up the 4-prime next turn, and that makes it not very far from too good to double.

And by giving white some flexibility to maintain his 4-prime it gets a very convincing take:


Code:
Cube analysis 
Rollout cubeless equity  +0,502 

Cubeful equities: 
1. Double, take         +0,767 
2. Double, pass         +1,000  ( +0,233) 
3. No double            +0,766  ( -0,001) 
Proper cube action: Redouble, take


This flexibility can also be realized sufficiently by moving 1w to 2:


Code:
Cube analysis 
Rollout cubeless equity  +0,455 

Cubeful equities: 
1. No double            +0,727 
2. Double, pass         +1,000  ( +0,273) 
3. Double, take         +0,677  ( -0,050) 
Proper cube action: No redouble, take (15,6%)
It's very remarkeble that it is as bad to take in the original position, as it is to pass in the other two, and that's around 0,25!
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-18-2015 , 03:56 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taper_Mike
Highlight and copy the ID here (Ctrl+C), switch to XG, and then press Ctrl+V to paste it in.

Mike
Thanks!

It works!
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-19-2015 , 05:14 AM
Position ID: G1tzAAi4vSMABg Match ID: cAkAAAAAAAAE

White - Pips 103

Black - Pips 119
Black on roll. Cube action?
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
the big thread about cube decisions Quote
04-19-2015 , 08:12 AM
Position seems quite volatile. I go with:
Double/Take.
the big thread about cube decisions Quote

      
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