Hi,

So I'm a total noob at bg and am practising on the xg app, as my friend told me to do.

Here is a spot I don't understand

http://imgur.com/x64OiTK

The app says that we should do bar -22 then 22-21. Why would'nt you eat the black man on 24 first, then go on 21 ?

Thanks for your help

My best guess is, because white is already well ahead in the race and won't benefit much from sending another checker back. Hitting actually helps black: it puts the lost checker on the one point back in play, and helps maintain good timing for the developing back game.

Black doesn't mind getting hit right now. In fact, he would prefer the blot on his ace point get hit. The blot is a weakness.

That checker is what I like to call semi-burnt. It can only contribute to the game by getting hit, otherwise, it's just occupying a space, waiting to be born off. Hitting that checker will also help black make your 3 point while keeping your ace point. The 3-ace point backgame is my favourite and probably most effective back game (some would argue 3-2 point because it decreases chances of a backgammon but I digress). Black is down less than 30 pips here and can't commit to a backgame but if you hit, he'll be down close to 50 pips in the race. It's still not enough to fully commit to a back game but it's enough to help with his timing by letting him recycle checkers. Plus, it could be easier for him to engineer situations where he gets hit (engines really don't like to do that though).

You can click "Quote" to see how I got this diagram to show.

Mike

How much of an error is 24* 6/3* ?

That's what I would play because we are 2 away - an undoubled gammon wins the match for me and I prevent him from making the 3 point or higer anchor. Of course, after the no hitting play he has the big tactically weakness of having the 1point slotted, but at the end he will get an advanced anchor and the game will come out in most cases like white coming home against a holding game from black. Why don't start hitting now and going for the g?