Very amateur backgammon player here.

My first instinct is 3x 6-2 then 11-7. Your only exposed piece is getting captured only by a 1/6 roll.

First of all, I would have doubled before the roll. White has a semi-breached home board already, stripped outfield, we got a great board and some threats. Yes, we're far behind in the race, so it might be too aggressive, but that's just me. If the double was on White's side, I'd hit with one guy automatically and then look to spread our guys in a way that gives me good chances to cover, not expose too many blots (since the gammon danger after White return hits will be high) and maybe aim to make the bar point to contain that White blot just in case.

I actually like to jump out with 2 guys from our anchor for outfield coverage and go 11/7 with the last 4. Your 6s cover the bar point, your 5s cover the deuce, you improve outfield coverage in case White escapes or enter and try to move from one of her outside points.

So without cube access, I go 6/2* 11/7 20/16(2).

With the cube in the center the play looks easy unless I'm missing something. I hit and then go 20/16(3) as it seems to be the safest and safety is all I care about because if White dances I will cash next turn. So no need to worry about continuing the blitz.

Zimmer4141, I suppose switching 6 to 2 must be a blunder. The game is far from over. You're still trailing the race, White will have time to enter, and your prime just vanished since you opened a highest point in your board, which is very likely to stay that way as it will be very hard to remake it.

Karol,

Thank you for the explanations!

It is a borderline double/no double, depending on the evaluation level or rollout length.

Your plays with and without cube are correct:

(cube turned)


1. XG Roller++ 13/9 13/5 6/2* eq:+0.360
Player: 65.95% (G:27.82% B:1.13%)
Opponent: 34.05% (G:11.98% B:0.20%)

2. XG Roller++ 20/16(2) 11/7 6/2* eq:+0.342 (-0.017)
Player: 67.04% (G:26.86% B:1.17%)
Opponent: 32.96% (G:16.54% B:0.23%)

3. XG Roller++ 13/9(2) 11/7 6/2* eq:+0.336 (-0.024)
Player: 65.47% (G:26.59% B:1.06%)
Opponent: 34.53% (G:12.79% B:0.16%)

4. XG Roller++ 13/5 11/7 6/2* eq:+0.314 (-0.046)
Player: 65.52% (G:28.23% B:1.15%)
Opponent: 34.48% (G:16.51% B:0.37%)

(cube in the middle)

XGID=--aBBBC----AbBb----bCabcb-:0:0:1:44:0:0:3:0:10

1. XG Roller++ 20/16(3) 6/2* eq:+0.674
Player: 66.18% (G:22.85% B:0.85%)
Opponent: 33.82% (G:13.69% B:0.11%)

2. XG Roller++ 13/9 13/5 6/2* eq:+0.593 (-0.081)
Player: 65.51% (G:26.79% B:0.86%)
Opponent: 34.49% (G:12.18% B:0.21%)

3. XG Roller++ 20/16(2) 11/7 6/2* eq:+0.574 (-0.099)
Player: 67.01% (G:26.61% B:1.17%)
Opponent: 32.99% (G:17.35% B:0.30%)