okay, im unfamiliar with match play, so maybe this is standard. passing this seems so weak, but i guess i get gammoned too often with my back men split? at what score can i take this?

also, does this mean i should avoid splitting in general with a decent lead at match point? i rolled 5-2, so i think id have to pass no matter what i moved, but what about with something like 32? i cant be blitzed if i move 2 men off the midpoint, or maybe thats a pass as well i dunno.



edit: i answered a couple of my own questions: i could take at 10-6 and if i had rolled 3 2 instead, it'd still be a pass no matter what at 10-5

Unless I'm missing something this is just a standard "free drop" situation.

You will be facing a cube early in every game, and at -1:-6 it doesn't hurt you to just drop the cube, because Villain will still have to win 3 games (ignoring gammons).

So if you are ahead or it's even, you might as well pass and hope to start better next time around. When Villain wins the opening roll and gets to move first, that will generally be the case unless you roll something particularly strong.

Of course, at -1:-5 you would take instantly because giving up a game is a disaster.

FMP

Pineapple is right. When you're at match point and your opponent has won the Crawford game, he's doubling at his first opportunity every game thereafter. Each game for you is either a 'free drop' or a 'must take' situation.

Free drops occur when he has an odd number of points (like 10-9 to 11). Now you can drop this game and he still has to win the same number of games to win the match as before (one in this case). In the position you showed (after 5-1 and 5-2 as the first two rolls), you would use your free drop at a 10-9 score because you're an underdog in this game, but you'll be even money in the next game, so you'd rather play that game for the match.

A must take is the opposite. If your opponent has an even number of points (like 10-8 to 11) then you take to make him win the maximum number of games for the match.

Note: if the match has a long way to go, you won't necessarily use your free drop at the first opportunity. If you're just a slight underdog, you might take this game and save your free drop for later.

djk...when you learn more about the math behind doubles and takes in match play when the scores are getting close to the end, and how it impacts checker play as well, it will remind you alot of icm calculations and is quite interesting.