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6-prime query

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01-31-2011 , 04:39 PM

lostin transit

enthusiast

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 63

I always have problems knowing when it's worthwhile to hit when stuck behind a full prime. Here, I thought my timing would be better if I left the blot alone, so I played 7/3. As it happens, the timing worked out perfectly and XG was presented to the board when the board was in full session, but it is in fact a 'major blunder' and he insists on 13/12* (2) 12/10. I don't know why - wouldn't I just end up with a crunched mess? Are there any thematics guiding when to hit and when to bypass?

PS ~ aren't the XG graphics gorgeous?!

Last edited by lostin transit; 01-31-2011 at 04:54 PM.

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01-31-2011 , 05:08 PM

ferrengi

grinder

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 683

I agree with hitting here. You should hit and play 2/1 so that if your opponent enters he will be on the 1 point and there is a better chance of him getting stuck there. If you can keep your opponent stuck behind your prime for a couple of rolls. He will likely have to break the 6 prime. Ideally, you can make the bar point before getting hit and then your opponent will have a really tough time escaping.

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01-31-2011 , 05:28 PM

Doubledouble1984

centurion

Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 141

Hitting and leaving both the bar point and the two point slotted looks correct by a large margin. Playing 13/12*(2) 12/10 gives maximum ammunition to make the bar point next shake(but 13/12*/9 looks reasonable too). The best chance to win the game is to hold a prime and force black to crack. If black dances, then leaving the two slottted gives you a chance to counterprime. Shifting 2/1 looks like it just kills a checker. Dumping checkers to the ace here just leaves us shorthanded in a priming battle.

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01-31-2011 , 06:28 PM

TomCowley

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 5,649

If you don't hit, you're stuck in a crappy 3-point game where you lose a lot of singles and rarely win/get gammoned. Hitting and not holding him is roughly the same result where you lose slightly more gammons. Hitting and holding him is A++. Hitting here is close to a freeroll.

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01-31-2011 , 06:29 PM

Robertie

old hand

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 1,954

Look at it this way. If you don't hit, you can only win from a 3-point game. (Chances between 15% and 20%, depending on the position.) If you hit, you mat win the priming battle, but if you lose that, you can still win from a 3-point game. You've given yourself two ways to win, rather than one.

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01-31-2011 , 06:53 PM

lostin transit

enthusiast

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 63

ah, I've learnt something. Thank you all.

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01-31-2011 , 07:13 PM

higonefive

journeyman

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 317

Quote:

Originally Posted by lostin transit

PS ~ aren't the XG graphics gorgeous?!

It is a matter of taste. Personally, i like beautiful 2D boards for problems, as in chess. If you want to make a little book (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18262758/XGR...20Game%201.pdf), Snowie does the job better. But buyin Snowie for that reason alone, would be a little Oscar Wilde like.

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01-31-2011 , 07:32 PM

lostin transit

enthusiast

Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 63

Quote:

Originally Posted by higonefive

...But buying Snowie for that reason alone would be a little Oscar Wilde-like.

Oscar Wilde was one of the smartest men who ever lived. There's no way he'd buy Snowie in 2011, even when drunk. : -)

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02-02-2011 , 10:50 PM

BigWill

enthusiast

Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 81

+1 on 2d boards for problems -- I prefer them for bot play and on line play as well.

That being said, despite all of its advantages I think xg is lacking in the board design area, both in the boards available for play/analysis and in the various export versions. Hopefully that will improve in xg2

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