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obvious is not always right obvious is not always right

02-16-2015 , 07:41 AM
Against a bot or a strong opponent (no matter what is the correct answer) i think its imperative to make the 6 prime no matter what because it cut off counterplay and victory is a matter of time. Against weak players id go for the gammon with out esitation, because even if they re enter and mess up the game there s still possibility that they make future errors and i catch up the game
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 08:43 AM
It's good that you point at the possibility of considering a strategic move at cost of equity, because I agree that in some cases the best move is not the best move against a particular opponent. However, the equity difference is too big here.

Playing 13/7 is a very good move from the perspective of equity, but it doesn't get the most out of the roll by far, because it gives white the opportunity to build her board while black has created a timing problem for herself with those defensive hind checkers. And being hit might result in black having to give up her 20-point while still needing it. It also gives white a good chance to get away with only 1 checker on the bar in the final phase.

7/1* 6/3(2) gives to white a direct shot, while black has no coverage. If hit, that one important checker to complete the job can start all over again, while white has an opportunity to get that other blot to safety.

6/3(2) 4/1(2)* falls under the general theme, that it is a very good idea to get a checker on the bar, when there are one or more blots to hit. Black sacifices his prime in order to get into blitz mode. However, 44 is the only move for white which upon entrance will not leave 2 blots, so black is very favorite to hit again. Even when gammons would not count, I would not be surprised that this will still be the best move.

Code:
    1. 6/3(2) 4/1*(2)               Eq.:  +1,118
       0,800 0,621 0,007 - 0,200 0,033 0,001 CL  +1,192 CF  +1,118
     
    2. 7/1* 6/3(2)                  Eq.:  +0,965 ( -0,152)
       0,769 0,550 0,009 - 0,231 0,045 0,002 CL  +1,050 CF  +0,965
      
    3. 13/7 6/3(2)                  Eq.:  +0,719 ( -0,399)
       0,736 0,392 0,009 - 0,264 0,055 0,003 CL  +0,815 CF  +0,719
      
        Truncated cubeful rollout (depth 10) with var.redn.
        147 games, Mersenne Twister dice gen. with seed 767934765 and quasi-random dice
        Stop when std.errs. are small enough: ratio 0,1 (min. 144 games)
        Play: world class 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
        keep the first 0 0-ply moves and up to 8 more moves within equity 0,16
        Skip pruning for 1-ply moves.
        Cube: 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]

Last edited by yogiman; 02-17-2015 at 08:49 AM.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 09:11 AM
Id have played the gammon go move with the blot, and i thought that the equity was tied with the 6 prime move but that equity difference is quite sick, and for that we have a wanderful problem. As usual the correct answer is a balance between two opposite behavoir. I usually avoid open high point in hb because the prime usually becomes useless, but here opponent blot is decisive i think. I bet that with out it the correct answer is not the blitz.. Yogi, let's check im from the phone
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 10:01 AM
Doing a 2-point match the outcome turns out to be not very much different. But when the blot is removed to white's 13-point, well, you are right...




Code:
1. 13/7 6/3(2)                  Eq.:  +0,828
       0,779 0,383 0,006 - 0,221 0,041 0,002 CL  +0,906 CF  +0,828
     
2. 6/3(2) 4/1*(2)               Eq.:  +0,818 ( -0,010)
       0,750 0,450 0,002 - 0,250 0,042 0,002 CL  +0,909 CF  +0,818
        
Truncated cubeful rollout (depth 10) with var.redn.
        147 games, Mersenne Twister dice gen. with seed 767934765 and quasi-random dice
        Stop when std.errs. are small enough: ratio 0,1 (min. 144 games)
        Play: world class 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
        keep the first 0 0-ply moves and up to 8 more moves within equity 0,16
        Skip pruning for 1-ply moves.
        Cube: 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 01:58 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by bleep69
I'm playing to make the prime, 13/7 6/3 (2). Only 31 or 11 on our next throw are grim.
Why would 3-1 be a bad roll after 13/7 6/3 (2)? You could play 13/9...
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 02:02 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by yogiman
Doing a 2-point match the outcome turns out to be not very much different. But when the blot is removed to white's 13-point, well, you are right...
Still, the "blitz" play isn't wrong by much, only 0.01...

Very interesting.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-17-2015 , 03:55 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by yogiman
But when the blot is removed to white's 13-point, well, you are right...
As i thought.

Good stuff btw.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 02:23 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by uberkuber
Why would 3-1 be a bad roll after 13/7 6/3 (2)? You could play 13/9...
Quite right, brain freeze...
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 08:54 AM
Position ID: sr0jAAaLm8EBMA Match ID: cAkHAAAAAAAE

White - Pips 117

Black - Pips 134
Black to Play 6-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 01:13 PM
If the answer is not 24/23* 8/2 i quit backgammon and i go fishing Lol. In first instance i considered 24/23*/17 to disengage the straggler but a hit on the 2 point i think is like a lethal injection. So the move to me is almost forced: we have enough time to roll a 6 and white Will hit our blot with few rolls
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 02:36 PM
This is a delicate balancing act. By covering, Black reduces White’s entering chances from 75% to 56%. In the process, however, he abandons an 8pt he may never remake. With 5 other checkers still needing to come home, and a further need to contain White, I would try the pure play, 24/23*/17. At least 2 will be duped.

The plan here is to win by gaining outfield control.

Mike
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 03:52 PM
At the risk of driving Fllecha from the game , I would actually play 24/23*/17. It's only a few more shots and it appears to better when missed and better when hit (on average).

Or another way to look at it is -- getting the checker over the prime looks like a much more important thing than "upgrading" from the 8 to the 2 point.

The duplication of 2s after jumping over the prime is real, but I would still jump even if the White checker was moved from the 10 to the 11 point, though it's a closer call.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 05:18 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Taper_Mike
In the process, however, he abandons an 8pt he may never remake. With 5 other checkers still needing to come home, and a further need to contain White, I would try the pure play, 24/23*/17. At least 2 will be duped.

The plan here is to win by gaining outfield control.

Mike
I dont agree with the explanation this time. Imo if i have to weight the duplication of 2 and the fact that we may lose the 8 point against closing a new hb point, reducing his entering chanches, save a hb blot and put a straggler in good position to jump the prime and potentially close another point next turn there is no contest imo otb.

Even the outfield contol does not compute imo: white has already no control because he has lost his midpoint.

Finally in pratice the pure play you suggest, is harder to play: it may lead to confusing games and opponent has a strong board while we have already two dead checkers and if we are hit its our last breath
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 06:09 PM
I'm with Mike. Over the board I'd play 24/23*/17 in a shot and would be grateful for such a good roll. In jump-or-cover decisions, jumping is correct more often than not.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-18-2015 , 06:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robertie
I'm with Mike. Over the board I'd play 24/23*/17 in a shot and would be grateful for such a good roll. In jump-or-cover decisions, jumping is correct more often than not.
I too agree with this play,

staying back stripping the 8pt for a cover is not a good plan.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 12:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fllecha
The pure play ... is harder to play: it may lead to confusing games and opponent has a strong board while we have already two dead checkers and if we are hit it’s our last breath.
You are putting your finger on what is hardest about this position. Black is an underdog. Any play he makes will lead to a loss more often than to victory. I think it is too harsh, however, to say that getting hit on the 2pt will be his last breath.

This may be where you have gone wrong. Indeed, if getting hit on the 2pt did mean game-over, then covering would be right.

Of course, getting hit on the 2pt certainly could be fatal. It is easy to see the many variations that follow where Black gets a second checker hit, and is quickly closed out. On the other hand, Black might anchor on the first try after being hit. He also might hit an immediate return shot.

Making the 2pt may allow Blue to string things out longer than jumping out would. There are only 5 immediate return shots after making the 2pt. Compare that with the 11 shots offered by the running play. If he makes the 2pt now, Black may be able to find some relatively safe plays in the turns that follow.

What he won’t find, however, is an easy way to stay safe while bringing his 6 outside checkers home. Furthermore, Black trails in the race. Getting home safely is not his only need. He must also hit and/or contain White to equalize the race.

Making the 2pt puts another checker behind White’s anchor. With three Black checkers out of play behind White’s anchor already, containing White will be a difficult chore. With four, it would only be harder. With so much work for Black to do, he must expect that White will enter before he brings all checkers around. The checker Black uses to cover the 2pt is a checker he won’t have available after White enters. Black needs that checker for containment.

In the long run, running a checker to the outfield now should be safer than making the 2pt.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fllecha
The duplication of 2 ...
I think Z has this right. The duplication is nice. It is real, and it helps. But running would still be correct without it. Push White’s checker on the 15pt back to the 14pt, and the duplication disappears. Running still looks right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fllecha
Even the outfield contol does not compute imo: white has already no control because he has lost his midpoint.
You are right about this. As things stand, Black already has outfield control. I should have said that running will insure he keeps it. The tactics I think work best for Black are to get all his checkers into the outfield, and bring them around together. Along the way he should be able to make and break a couple of points. With luck he will get a hit.

Breaking the 8pt surrenders some outfield control. Black loses a safe landing spot for the checkers he needs to bring around. He also loses a direct shot on his 4pt in case White leaves a blot there. Holding the 8pt, which blocks White’s 4s, may make it harder for White to get off his anchor.

One of the things that has not been mentioned thus far is the direct shot Black buys by putting a checker on the 17pt. If White can’t hit, cleanup for him will not always be easy or even possible.

Mike

Last edited by Taper_Mike; 02-19-2015 at 12:37 AM.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 04:13 AM
Correction: Black will pick up 23 pips by hitting, so after this play, he will lead in the race by 13 pips. That does not change my conclusion that Black should keep the 8pt, and bring his checkers around together as the dice allow.

Mike
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 04:44 AM
Code:
1. 24/23*/17                    Eq.:  -0,367
       0,419 0,108 0,002 - 0,581 0,216 0,010 CL  -0,277 CF  -0,367
     
2. 24/23* 8/2                   Eq.:  -0,526 ( -0,159)
       0,374 0,106 0,002 - 0,626 0,221 0,011 CL  -0,377 CF  -0,526
I think we will all be flabbergasted, but the outcome should be checked. Notwithstanding Taper_Mike's arguments are valid, if this result holds true, which is very questionable, it is all about duplication. Moving that white checker 1 pip to the 11 and 9-point respectively will give the following results:


Though the result of moving to the 9-point can be accounted for by the fact that the checker can be used to make the 3-point,
Code:
  
    1. 24/23*/17                    Eq.:  -0,424
       0,408 0,105 0,003 - 0,592 0,246 0,012 CL  -0,334 CF  -0,424
      
    2. 24/23* 8/2                   Eq.:  -0,450 ( -0,026)
       0,390 0,122 0,002 - 0,610 0,219 0,011 CL  -0,327 CF  -0,450
moving to the 11-point decreases the difference still with 0.1
Code:
    1. 24/23*/17                    Eq.:  -0,385
       0,417 0,106 0,003 - 0,583 0,233 0,011 CL  -0,301 CF  -0,385
    
    2. 24/23* 8/2                   Eq.:  -0,442 ( -0,057)
       0,390 0,117 0,002 - 0,610 0,221 0,011 CL  -0,333 CF  -0,442
No worry, without duplication 24/23*/17 is still the best move, but just slightly preferrable to 24/23* 8/2.

But before further analysis I would like to see an XG-rollout.

Code:
Truncated cubeful rollout (depth 10) with var.redn.
        147 games, Mersenne Twister dice gen. with seed 767934765 and quasi-random dice
        Stop when std.errs. are small enough: ratio 0,1 (min. 144 games)
        Play: world class 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
        keep the first 0 0-ply moves and up to 8 more moves within equity 0,16
        Skip pruning for 1-ply moves.
        Cube: 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 09:51 AM
As there is no response regarding the rollout, I presume it is right.

In addition to the analysis of Taper_Mike, it is white who threatens to contain black, so getting a checker out of white's innerboard gets priority. Black can afford to do this, because white has only a 3-point board, and pointing on the checker on the 1-point is unattractive.

The benefits in comparison to white's checker on his 11-point are that in the latter also 33 and 43 are hitting numbers, plus the double hit of 23 versus the original 22. Another thing that is likely very important and easily overlooked is that white can use the 2 to create an extra builder by playing from his 6 to his 4-point, which will create a very dangerous situation for black's straggler, and has to forgo this move in case he has to hit.

Those two factors together should account for the 0.1 gap.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 03:53 PM
Man, this is a tough game. I saw the problem but was short of time and didn't post, but I was with Fllecha 100%. Even taking into account the thread title, I couldn't find another move. I saw 24/23* /17, and the duplication of twos, but it still seemed a far inferior move to me than the alternative. Even after reading the explanations, I'm still hard pressed to accept it.

To then discover that the choice actually hinges on the duplication, despite all the other factors mentioned, just adds another level of... Despair is not the right word... Mastery of this game seems impossible from where I sit!

This is a great thread yogi, thank you for the effort.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-19-2015 , 05:30 PM
For me is still hard to accept the right move even After XG rollout and kind explanation. What relieves me is the fact that with out duplication the equity between moves is relatively close so as yoghi pointed out here duplication helps a lot.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-20-2015 , 01:01 AM
Position ID: sr0jAAaLm8EBMA Match ID: cAkHAAAAAAAE

White - Pips 117

Black - Pips 134
Black to Play 6-1

I made three rollouts in XG to check how the position of White's blot affects the margin by which play R = 24/23*/17 beats play C = 24/23* 8/2. The results are not too far from what Yogiman got using GnuBg. This is not surprising. GnuBg plays a bit worse than XG if you compare its 2-ply World Class mode against XG's 3-ply/XGR setting. The difference is very small. Making a rollout brings the bots into even closer accord.

Yogiman's rollouts use good settings. His standard is a 10-ply (i.e., depth) truncated rollout made in World Class mode. It's a good compromise between accuracy and speed that will give decent results in most "normal" positions. For complex backgames, containment games, and other known "problem" positions, you might need something stronger. For most of the positions in this thread, however, including Problem 41, I would expect Yogiman's GnuBg rollouts to be just as good as XG rollouts. The only thing I would change is to increase the minimum number of trials to, say, 324, or preferably, 648. This is especially important if you are trying to estimate the margins between plays.

In the original position, Yogiman's GnuBg rollout puts the margin between plays R and C at 159 millipoints (i.e., R beats C by 0.159). My 5k XG rollout gives 148. Moving the opponent's blot back to the 14pt produced a margin of 57 millipoints in the 147-trial GnuBg trunc. My 5k XG rollout puts it at 63. Moving the blot forward to the 16pt results in a margin of 26 millipoints in GnuBg. My 31k XG rollout yields 15. The differences here are not primarily differences between GnuBg and XG. They are differences caused by the disparity in the number of trials.

In order to test the effect of duplication, I like the variant with the blot pushed back to the 14pt. Without duplication, the margin between plays R and C falls by 148 – 63 = 85 millipoints. I think this is the true measure of the value of duplication in the OP.

The variant with the blot moved forward, however, creates new attacking options for the opponent. It gives White an extra builder targeting the open 3pt in his board. For this reason, I discount this variant. I don't think it is of much value in determining the effect of duplication. Yogiman points this out in his post above.

Focusing on the variant with the blot pushed back to the 14pt, we see that jumping out with play R is still 63 millipoints better than covering with play C. That's after duplication has been eliminated. To my way of thinking, this demonstrates that escaping the back checkers and keeping a strong presence in the outfield, rather than duplication, is the most important factor in Problem 41. 63 millipoints may not be a blunder, but it does not fit my definition of "relatively close" either.

Bill puts quite succinctly, "In jump-or-cover decisions, jumping is correct more often than not."

Mike

Last edited by Taper_Mike; 02-20-2015 at 01:13 AM.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-20-2015 , 01:43 PM
By curiosity, would the margin be about the same if the cube was turned (meaning gammons activated)?
obvious is not always right Quote
02-20-2015 , 03:18 PM
I was just going to say that the cube doesn't belong in the middle here. I was trying to figure out what White's last roll could have been. My best guess is that White had his midpoint and rolled 6-3, playing 13/7 13/10. In that case, if the cube was centered he had a huge double before the roll and Black should have passed.

In a reasonably-played game, White might have turned the cube a while ago and it would be on Black's side now.
obvious is not always right Quote
02-20-2015 , 05:08 PM
I hope I don't show a lack of character when I confess that I again rather hide myself behind the tutor.

The results when black has the cube:
Code:
    1. 24/23*/17                    Eq.:  -0,126
       0,419 0,105 0,002 - 0,581 0,221 0,010 CL  -0,287 CF  -0,126
      
    2. 24/23* 8/2                   Eq.:  -0,237 ( -0,111)
       0,374 0,105 0,002 - 0,626 0,220 0,011 CL  -0,377 CF  -0,237
with white checker on 11-point:
Code:
    1. 24/23*/17                    Eq.:  -0,150
       0,415 0,109 0,003 - 0,585 0,242 0,011 CL  -0,310 CF  -0,150
      
    2. 24/23* 8/2                   Eq.:  -0,190 ( -0,040)
       0,387 0,114 0,002 - 0,613 0,221 0,011 CL  -0,341 CF  -0,190
Code:
        Truncated cubeful rollout (depth 10) with var.redn.
        147 games, Mersenne Twister dice gen. with seed 768295055 and quasi-random dice
        Stop when std.errs. are small enough: ratio 0,1 (min. 144 games)
        Play: world class 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
        keep the first 0 0-ply moves and up to 8 more moves within equity 0,16
        Skip pruning for 1-ply moves.
        Cube: 2-ply cubeful prune [world class]
obvious is not always right Quote

      
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