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4-3 to play, 3 variants

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04-01-2018 , 05:31 PM

deh

journeyman

Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 202

Variant A:

White - Pips 138 (-25)

Black - Pips 163 (+25)
Black to Play 4-3
Created with Diagram Builder

Variant B:

White - Pips 138 (-34)

Black - Pips 172 (+34)
Black to Play 4-3
Created with Diagram Builder

Variant C:

White - Pips 138 (-44)

Black - Pips 182 (+44)
Black to Play 4-3
Created with Diagram Builder

What are your plays in A, B, C ? Why?

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04-01-2018 , 10:01 PM

jjpregler

old hand

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,974

All 3 positions the safe versus bold criteria all lean toward bold. We have more men back, his board is weaker, we have an anchor and we are losing the race in all 3 variants.

Another question I ask myself is how am I going to win: priming, racing, or hitting? We cannot win a race and we are not in position to prime a single checker in, so that leaves hitting as our game play.

As such, I think you have to hit 6/3* in all 3 positions, leaving Bar/20 for the 4.

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04-01-2018 , 10:14 PM

Robertie

old hand

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,954

Hitting with Bar/21 and 6/3* seems very clear in each case. The hit stops White from making his 5-point, which is the only plan Black has right here. I'm not seeing a 'Play B' in any case.

It's also not clear how White ever reached a doubling position.

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04-02-2018 , 06:39 AM

jjpregler

old hand

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,974

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjpregler

I meant Bar/21 for the 4. I'm hoping that was clear in spite of the mistype.

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