Problem of the Week #157: January 20


Cash game, center cube.




Black to play 1-1.


Note: All ‘cash game’ problems assume the Jacoby Rule is in effect. That is, you can’t win a gammon unless the cube has been turned.

Yes, me again. My automatic response would be the obligatory 6/4. Then i would like my homeboard to keep prime potential, and choose 13/12(2), because with some distance in points the 21point is preferrable to the 20 point. As everyone would play this, it has to be something else.
The question is what is more important: having a neat homeboard, or keeping maximum contact. White has hardly any flexibility, so contact will have the priority. The choice remains between 3/2(2) and 3/1. Having already sacrificed the symmetrical esthetics of the position, i could play as well 3/1 for the needed direct cover.

Grunch.

OTB I play 6/4 21/20(2) without much thought, although I will admit it's a little related to just being drilled into generally wanting five points and building a home board at all times

On a more serious note, overall in this type of holding(ish) game looking to activate a few jokers (notably 66/44 look a lot stronger than 55/33 in this case) while still threatening and building my home board, which this seems to accomplish.

As ever, eagerly awaiting the solution.

instinctively i'd play 6/4 21/20(2)

we are 16 pips late, maybe it is ok to play 4/1 22/21 (if he rolls a 6 he will hit and have blots in his board most of the time)

You could be right, that 21/20(2) is preferable to 13/12(2), as the 18point is disconnected, and most 6's would give a viable escape route. 6's are like of key in this problem.

I would snap 6/4 21/20 in this spot. The 13s or 7s will have to blink soon, and it might as well be white. Once that happens the 20 feels like a much better spot to capitalise on any blots that white may have had to leave.



Also, welcome to my first post on 2+2 in ten years.

If i were you i would make some point of my status: you are not a newbie but an oldbie

21-20(2)
13-12(2)
Whites middle is terrible and idk how to take advantage of this. . . maybe let him hit us and try to build up more back there?

Whatever you do here one thing that must never happen is to change positions so that he can play 66 nicely. NEVER. So no solutions must ever involve pieces at 21 or 13 moving. Not only he cant play 66 well but he has a problem playing many 6X rolls giving you hit chances and a hit with distance 6 eg 13 to 7 has larger chance to happen than a distance of 5 if he is forced to move.

Also 6 to 4 seems a given. The only thing left now is to decide if you move 3/2 (2) or 3/1. So decide which one is more advantageous. It seems a 3 to 1 is better because we can cover easily on the next move the exposed 3. Plus a move for him from 1 to 6 is a problem anyway if we were to hit him later. Basically its an argument that although usually we do not like to cover 1 we dont mind here. So lets try 6/4 and 3/1.

Otb i would play 6/4 21/20 (2) for sure. W position is rather unflexible. Many numbers 6x play bad now or in the next turn and we generate more shots with colin20g s :
4/1 22/21

Very good masque de Z. I believe this is spot on.

4/1, 6/5. Shot now. don't leave a blot. win with the cube.

When behind, stay behind. And it's all about playability: if the builder can't come to the slot, bring the slot to the builder.

How about 4/1, 6/5?

This builds a 4 point board while maintaining maximum contact. While it's not 4 in a row, it's still a 4 point board. A hit, any hit, should be good enough to win.

I like it. So it is almost assuredly not in the top 5 moves.

I'm thinking 6/4 21/20 in this case just because I don't want to give up the 13 and 6/4 gives a better prime. Also if we can catch a blot it makes it harder for white to enter to board. I'd be interested to see if there's a viable alternative to what seems like the 'obvious' move.