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Problem of the Week #22: Solution
08-10-2009
, 01:41 PM
Problem of the Week #22: August 2
Cash game. Center cube. Black on roll.
Part (a): Black to play 5-1.
Part (b): Black to play 5-1.
In the opening, plays that hit blots or make key points tend to easily dominate all other maneuvering plays. Interesting choices, however, arise when both plays are available. Do you hit, or do you make a point?
Five simple rules guide most of these plays.
(1) The stronger your inner board, the more you want to hit and the less you need to make an additional point.
(2) The better the point you can make, the more you want to make it.
(3) If you can make a point while unstacking, your desire to hit goes down.
(4) If you have to break a good anchor to hit, your desire to hit goes down.
(5) If you have a vulnerable, exposed blot, your desire to hit goes up.
Problem 22 illustrates the relative importance of points (4) and (5). Note that in both parts of this problem, points (1) through (3) all suggest making the 5-point as the better play. Black has a weak inner board, the 5-point is the best point available, and he can make the 5-point while also unstacking the 6-point.
In part (a), the decisive criterion is that Black has a great anchor on White’s 4-point, and to hit, he’d have to break that anchor. So making the 5-point is clear, and in fact every hitting play is just a blunder.
In part (b), however, the picture changes. Now Black has no anchor, so hitting doesn’t cost him an asset. In addition, making the 5-point now leaves the checker on the 21-point exposed to nine pointing numbers (11, 22, 44, 54, 52, and 42) plus some annoying double-hits (23, 43, 53). In addition, White gets great diversification because his escaping numbers (all sixes) don’t duplicate his other good numbers. Hitting becomes essential for Black both to gain ground in the race and to protect his otherwise vulnerable blots. In fact, making the 5-point now becomes a blunder!
After hitting in part (b), how should Black play the ace? The right play is 16/15, because it duplicates White’s threes: White now needs threes to hit in the outfield and threes to anchor.
Solution: Part (a) 10/5 6/5
Part (b) 21/16*/15.
Cash game. Center cube. Black on roll.
Part (a): Black to play 5-1.
Part (b): Black to play 5-1.
In the opening, plays that hit blots or make key points tend to easily dominate all other maneuvering plays. Interesting choices, however, arise when both plays are available. Do you hit, or do you make a point?
Five simple rules guide most of these plays.
(1) The stronger your inner board, the more you want to hit and the less you need to make an additional point.
(2) The better the point you can make, the more you want to make it.
(3) If you can make a point while unstacking, your desire to hit goes down.
(4) If you have to break a good anchor to hit, your desire to hit goes down.
(5) If you have a vulnerable, exposed blot, your desire to hit goes up.
Problem 22 illustrates the relative importance of points (4) and (5). Note that in both parts of this problem, points (1) through (3) all suggest making the 5-point as the better play. Black has a weak inner board, the 5-point is the best point available, and he can make the 5-point while also unstacking the 6-point.
In part (a), the decisive criterion is that Black has a great anchor on White’s 4-point, and to hit, he’d have to break that anchor. So making the 5-point is clear, and in fact every hitting play is just a blunder.
In part (b), however, the picture changes. Now Black has no anchor, so hitting doesn’t cost him an asset. In addition, making the 5-point now leaves the checker on the 21-point exposed to nine pointing numbers (11, 22, 44, 54, 52, and 42) plus some annoying double-hits (23, 43, 53). In addition, White gets great diversification because his escaping numbers (all sixes) don’t duplicate his other good numbers. Hitting becomes essential for Black both to gain ground in the race and to protect his otherwise vulnerable blots. In fact, making the 5-point now becomes a blunder!
After hitting in part (b), how should Black play the ace? The right play is 16/15, because it duplicates White’s threes: White now needs threes to hit in the outfield and threes to anchor.
Solution: Part (a) 10/5 6/5
Part (b) 21/16*/15.
