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Problem of the Week #54: Solution
03-22-2010
, 10:54 PM
Problem of the Week #54: Solution
Cash game, Center cube.
Should Black double? If he does, should White take, drop, or beaver?
Note: All ‘cash game’ problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect. That is, you can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned.
In Position 54 we have an opening blitz with a few little twists we don’t always see in such situations. Let’s quickly review the features of the position and look at which are important and which are not.
> Black has his 5-point instead of his 6-point. This looks like it might matter, but it doesn’t. If White eventually anchors, there’s just a tiny difference between anchoring on the 6-point and anchoring on the 5-point.
> Black has more shots at a second blot. This is a big deal. Take a look at Position 54a, which is a more normal blitz.
Position 54a: Black on roll.
White ran out with an opening 6-4, Black made two points with 5-5, and White danced. Here Black has only 11 shots at a second blot. In our original position, Black has 25 shots (all 6s, all 4s, 5-3, 5-1, and 2-2). That’s a big difference.
> Black has three builders for his inner board. This is a small improvement over two builders as in 54a. Black picks up three new numbers (2-1 and 1-1) which don’t hit but which do make an inner point.
> Black has a third checker back. This is a big negative for Black, costing him 20 pips or so in the race and reducing the number of builders that can quickly reach an attacking position.
Compared to Position 54a, Black has one big positive (more shots at a second blot), one big negative (a third checker back), and one small positive (a third builder in position). If we know the equity of Problem 54a, we know that Problem 54 is better than that for Black, but not overwhelmingly better.
Fortunately Position 54a has been well understood for a long time. It was originally (in the 1960s and early 1970s) thought to be double and big pass. Hand rollouts, however, revealed that it was a small double and a big take, and it became a big money-maker in propositions against unschooled opponents.
If 54a is small double and big take, then 54 must be better than that for Black. We can certainly conclude it’s a big double and it’s only the take/drop decision that’s in question. In fact, it’s a take, although a small one. The shots at the second checker are important, but the fact that Black still has only a three-point board, coupled with the extra checker back, enable White to take the cube.
Solution: Double and take
Cash game, Center cube.
Should Black double? If he does, should White take, drop, or beaver?
Note: All ‘cash game’ problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect. That is, you can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned.
In Position 54 we have an opening blitz with a few little twists we don’t always see in such situations. Let’s quickly review the features of the position and look at which are important and which are not.
> Black has his 5-point instead of his 6-point. This looks like it might matter, but it doesn’t. If White eventually anchors, there’s just a tiny difference between anchoring on the 6-point and anchoring on the 5-point.
> Black has more shots at a second blot. This is a big deal. Take a look at Position 54a, which is a more normal blitz.
Position 54a: Black on roll.
White ran out with an opening 6-4, Black made two points with 5-5, and White danced. Here Black has only 11 shots at a second blot. In our original position, Black has 25 shots (all 6s, all 4s, 5-3, 5-1, and 2-2). That’s a big difference.
> Black has three builders for his inner board. This is a small improvement over two builders as in 54a. Black picks up three new numbers (2-1 and 1-1) which don’t hit but which do make an inner point.
> Black has a third checker back. This is a big negative for Black, costing him 20 pips or so in the race and reducing the number of builders that can quickly reach an attacking position.
Compared to Position 54a, Black has one big positive (more shots at a second blot), one big negative (a third checker back), and one small positive (a third builder in position). If we know the equity of Problem 54a, we know that Problem 54 is better than that for Black, but not overwhelmingly better.
Fortunately Position 54a has been well understood for a long time. It was originally (in the 1960s and early 1970s) thought to be double and big pass. Hand rollouts, however, revealed that it was a small double and a big take, and it became a big money-maker in propositions against unschooled opponents.
If 54a is small double and big take, then 54 must be better than that for Black. We can certainly conclude it’s a big double and it’s only the take/drop decision that’s in question. In fact, it’s a take, although a small one. The shots at the second checker are important, but the fact that Black still has only a three-point board, coupled with the extra checker back, enable White to take the cube.
Solution: Double and take
