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Second best move is already a blunder.... Why?!
02-20-2017
, 03:09 PM
Position 1.
Hero blundered:
White - Pips 121. Match Score 0/7
Black - Pips 38. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 1-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Black - Pips 38. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 1-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Hero blundered:
Spoiler:
02-22-2017
, 09:38 AM
Hi folks, here is the next one. I have thousands of them 
Position 2.
Heros move and GnuBg Analysis:
Whys and best guess:
Position 2.
White - Pips 160. Match Score 0/5
Black - Pips 157. Match Score 1/5
Black to Play 3-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Black - Pips 157. Match Score 1/5
Black to Play 3-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Heros move and GnuBg Analysis:
Spoiler:
Whys and best guess:
Spoiler:
02-23-2017
, 03:26 PM
Thank you for your insights sir! I really appreciate that very much!
So i was basically overestimating the risk of getting hit after playing bar/24 13/10 and underestimating the risk of getting hit after playing bar/21. That´s what i´am doing all the time - overetimate / underestimate risk and reward in backgammon.... I even supported the game plan of my opponent, since gnu has to hit right? With bar/21 there are a lot more shots than after bar/24 13/10.
If it is ok, i really like to keep this going. Hopefully more people join the discussion. (I don´t have to mention that it´s awsome that a two time world champion already joined the thread)
I´m going to post positions where i blundered and the second best move is already a blunder, since i think there has to be some concept behind i´m not getting right.
I will always spoiler the analysis of gnu and my thoughts so that everyone could make a guess without any influence.
I won´t just post them right after play. I will try to find out where my thinking was flawed and by the way - I really played that position a few times with gnu.
Like i said, i hope that people join the discussion and it is going to be an epic thread.
Finally i like to mention that i´m not a native speaker. If i make any errors that make you scream "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, i´m gonna kill this guy if have to read another word..." please let me know before
Have a good day / night!
So i was basically overestimating the risk of getting hit after playing bar/24 13/10 and underestimating the risk of getting hit after playing bar/21. That´s what i´am doing all the time - overetimate / underestimate risk and reward in backgammon.... I even supported the game plan of my opponent, since gnu has to hit right? With bar/21 there are a lot more shots than after bar/24 13/10.
If it is ok, i really like to keep this going. Hopefully more people join the discussion. (I don´t have to mention that it´s awsome that a two time world champion already joined the thread
)I´m going to post positions where i blundered and the second best move is already a blunder, since i think there has to be some concept behind i´m not getting right.
I will always spoiler the analysis of gnu and my thoughts so that everyone could make a guess without any influence.
I won´t just post them right after play. I will try to find out where my thinking was flawed and by the way - I really played that position a few times with gnu.
Like i said, i hope that people join the discussion and it is going to be an epic thread.
Finally i like to mention that i´m not a native speaker. If i make any errors that make you scream "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, i´m gonna kill this guy if have to read another word..." please let me know before
Have a good day / night!
02-25-2017
, 05:02 PM
Thanks again!
Here we go. I recently switched to XG and this position came up. The result of the analysis was very surprising to me and some kind of eye opener, hopefully for someone else too!
Position 3:
Heros move and XGRoller++ analysis:
Whys and best guess:
Here we go. I recently switched to XG and this position came up. The result of the analysis was very surprising to me and some kind of eye opener, hopefully for someone else too!
Position 3:
White - Pips 145. Match Score 2/7
Black - Pips 85. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 2-3
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Black - Pips 85. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 2-3
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Heros move and XGRoller++ analysis:
Spoiler:
Whys and best guess:
Spoiler:
Last edited by Don Kament; 02-25-2017 at 05:09 PM.
Reason: spelling, grammer
02-27-2017
, 03:41 AM
Quote:
Basically, if your opponent doesn't have a really strong prime, and you have 5-4-pt. board with spares, you just always loose hit the second guy inside your home board to try for a gammon (if your gammons count at the current match score, of course).
If you don't hit and he covers that's a real disaster, cutting off a majority of your gammons. If you loose hit and he hits (most often with only one guy, while the other will stay on the bar), that's a much lesser evil. You can still enter fast and continue the attack.
What really surprised me was, that even when i get hit with 21, i´m still a 75% favorite to win the game.
You have a mountain of spares in the zone and you face only 2pt. board from a bar. Majority of your rolls enter and hit the guy on the bar or loose hit inside your home board, reopening the blitz route. Until he anchors, you're on a fast track to a closeout and gammon.
If you don't hit and he covers that's a real disaster, cutting off a majority of your gammons. If you loose hit and he hits (most often with only one guy, while the other will stay on the bar), that's a much lesser evil. You can still enter fast and continue the attack.
What really surprised me was, that even when i get hit with 21, i´m still a 75% favorite to win the game.
You have a mountain of spares in the zone and you face only 2pt. board from a bar. Majority of your rolls enter and hit the guy on the bar or loose hit inside your home board, reopening the blitz route. Until he anchors, you're on a fast track to a closeout and gammon.
Thanks for your insights - new position is coming soon
Last edited by Don Kament; 02-27-2017 at 03:42 AM.
Reason: spelling
03-02-2017
, 05:30 AM
Hi folks,
i bet i´m the only one here that make this kind of errors....
Position 4:
Heros move and XGRoller++ analysis:
Whys and best guess:
i bet i´m the only one here that make this kind of errors....
Position 4:
White - Pips 143. Match Score 2/5
Black - Pips 143. Match Score 2/5
Black to Play 1-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Black - Pips 143. Match Score 2/5
Black to Play 1-1
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Heros move and XGRoller++ analysis:
Spoiler:
Whys and best guess:
Spoiler:
03-03-2017
, 03:32 AM
So don´t be afraid, there are more positions to come
. I think it´s possible to post at least one, maybe two positions a week.Thanks for your answer, i really appreciate that!
03-09-2017
, 09:46 AM
Position 5:
Second best move is a -0,1335 blunder!
Heros move:
Analysis:
What do you think?
Kind Regards!
Second best move is a -0,1335 blunder!
White - Pips 169. Match Score 0/7
Black - Pips 152. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 2-2
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Black - Pips 152. Match Score 0/7
Black to Play 2-2
Created with www.BGdiagram.com
Heros move:
Spoiler:
Analysis:
Spoiler:
What do you think?
Kind Regards!
03-11-2017
, 05:22 AM
Quote:
Back in high school, I had a coach for the chess club who constantly repeated the same advice to his motley crew: "Sit on your hands!"
His point was -- don't make a move until you've looked around the board and checked out some alternatives. Otherwise, you'll jump to make the first good move you see and won't look around for a better play.
The same advice works in backgammon. It's easy to see that 17/13 picks up a blot, and 6/4(2) makes an inner point, so if you're excited and rushing the play, you'll just make that move and pick up the dice, not noticing that there are a couple of other plays to consider.
The merit of 4(2) 11(2) is that it makes two very good points at a very moderate risk. The 4-point is good because it's an inner point, but it's even better because the 3-point/6-point combination isn't very strong until you fill in either the 4-point or the 5-point, after which you have a really good position. The 11-point is good partly because it puts permanent pressure on your 5-point, and partly because it unstacks. You've got a big ugly stack on your midpoint, and playing 17/13 just makes it worse.
Look at it this way: a blot can be a weakness, and a big stack can be a weakness. But a blot only hurts you if your opponent hits it (which he's not favored to do), while a stack hurts you no matter what your opponent rolls!
His point was -- don't make a move until you've looked around the board and checked out some alternatives. Otherwise, you'll jump to make the first good move you see and won't look around for a better play.
The same advice works in backgammon. It's easy to see that 17/13 picks up a blot, and 6/4(2) makes an inner point, so if you're excited and rushing the play, you'll just make that move and pick up the dice, not noticing that there are a couple of other plays to consider.
The merit of 4(2) 11(2) is that it makes two very good points at a very moderate risk. The 4-point is good because it's an inner point, but it's even better because the 3-point/6-point combination isn't very strong until you fill in either the 4-point or the 5-point, after which you have a really good position. The 11-point is good partly because it puts permanent pressure on your 5-point, and partly because it unstacks. You've got a big ugly stack on your midpoint, and playing 17/13 just makes it worse.
Look at it this way: a blot can be a weakness, and a big stack can be a weakness. But a blot only hurts you if your opponent hits it (which he's not favored to do), while a stack hurts you no matter what your opponent rolls!
What i could also have done, to find out why the save play was wrong, was to play that position out a few times, which Mr. Robertie already pointed out
Thanks again guys for your insights! Please keep it up. I won´t stop this until my PR drops under 5.
It´s not an easy road
Have a nice weekend folks!
03-13-2017
, 07:54 PM
