Today, two friends and me played a chouette and for us (begginers), two interesting situations came up.

First:


What is my play here?
I watched GNU analysis, but I want you experts to tell me what is the best play and why.


Second:


This was my opponents move. I had the cube. What is his play and why?


Thanx in advance.

In the first example, black's position is hopeless so I would simply button up two blots with 15/11 13/11 to reduce the gammon threat somewhat. One question, are you playing with the Jacoby rule? If so, then the cube action will go double / pass after any play, so it technically doesn't matter what you do so long as you correctly drop the cube. If you aren't playing with the Jacoby rule, I believe red's position is actually too good (since he can cash the game very easily, so his losing chances are almost zero), so it's important to button up the outfield blots to lose fewer gammons.

In the second position, I would play 9/5 to activate the builder on the 9 point, allowing me to roll forward my 5 prime with more numbers and also to get another builder bearing on black's two blots. With the 3 I would play 20/17 and start moving these checkers home. It creates two blots, but you don't mind getting hit here since black has a weak board and two semi-dead checkers, and the upside of getting return shots if black hits loose is quite good.

First position I would put two in the air with 7/5*/1*. Basically I'm buying time here so I can sort the back men and blots out and get some kind of semblance of a position going. After this play I think it is probably double/take.

Second position I agree with dsaxton, 9/5 20/17.

I didn't see it at first, but I think the double hit actually might be the right idea. Good suggestion.

This first one is tough. Escape is our #1 priority, and I'd really like to move 23/21, but every 4 after that leaves us ugly. I'm probably going with 15/11 13/11? In any case I'm passing a cube after any play here (hopefully they won't ship it).
20/17 9/5 looks good for the second.

Can someone do rollouts for the first position, possibly once with the Jacoby rule and once without? It might be interesting to see how that effects the results.

does it being chouette affect how you setup the position in snowie/gnu?

My first reaction to the first position was 15/13 8/4 slotting the potentially valuable 4 point instead of making 11.

However, after looking at some responses the double hit seems correct.

I also agree with dsaxton on the second position.