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Backgame Checkerplay Question-- break the prime?!?

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09-14-2009 , 10:30 PM

Tuee

centurion

Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 164

I really, really, don't understand this play, but the rollout shows it's right by a mile.

Red to play 52, red 6 away white 4 away, centred cube.

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09-15-2009 , 04:31 PM

pineapple888

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 13,111

Your prime has already done its job. You are unbeatable in a race, and the only question is how to best get your checkers in safely. If you get a checker trapped you will just collapse anyway.

17/10 is just ugly, leaving two blots exposed, with 30 out of 36 rolls hitting, if I counted correctly.

I'd probably play 7/2 7/6 without thinking much about it. White has no flexibility and will have to make some sort of concession next roll.

Apparently 8/1 is even better. It must have something to do with White's lack of spares, the exposed White blot, particular roll combinations, keeping more flexibility yourself, etc etc. Damn bots.

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09-16-2009 , 08:25 PM

phil in kc

newbie

Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 36

I doubt I would have looked at breaking the prime in this situation, but it does make sense. Red wants white to abandon the back game so he can build a stronger inner board and keep white blots dancing on the Bar while red brings his checkers home. 8/1 starts the lone open point in red's board, while enticing white to hit the blot while white has no builders to easily cover the blot in his own home board. In fact, GnuBG is probably not counting on white hitting the blot on the 8 pt. It's probably just that white will have to break one of his points, so breaking the 17 pt would be premature.

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