Gammon-go is nullo since white has two men off

I'll pretend he doesn't. In that case blue wants to make a 6-prime, then hit loose, and hope to eventually pick up a second checker. I will slot the 5 - I don't care about the few extra gammons.

At DMP, any closeout is as good as any other. I think I will hit loose in that case.

My friends keep telling me I gotta be awake when I play this game! I like the slot, though. The idea I had was that at gammon-go, losing a gammon does not hurt you any more than losing a single game. As in the Jacoby example above, therefore, you can slot.

Not sure about your DMP play. If you hit from the 7pt, how do you play the deuce?

Mike

7/2* 6/4, an extra builder for the two point. It's probably wrong .. in fact, it actually improves white's chance to escape now that I think about it.

Good stuff guys. I learned a whole bunch more than simply why that slot play was one of the best moves to make, rather than one I previously would have avoided. I'm also reminded that this game is really complex.

If I want to bring my game to the next level, I'm going to need to increase my ratio of studying to playing. What I've been doing lately is, during online play, taking a snapshot of a move I'm unsure how to play, finish the game, then analyze the move(s) I found challenging with the bot. I also have been studying matches on video of top players - I'm still going through the North Carolina Invitational Mike posted. I have Robertie's Serious Players, Winners and 501. Couldn't hurt to break those out again, particularly 501.

Other ideas?

Walter Trice's book, 'Backgammon Boot Camp', is excellent, as is Kit Woolsey's 'New Ideas in Backgammon'. Both are well worth reading and re-reading once you've mastered the basic stuff.

Thanks; I'll check 'em out. A bit pricey for paperbacks.