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Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:32 pm
Years playing backgammon: 20+ Learned to play on fibs.com playing bots and review with gnubg analysis FIBS rating 1750-1850
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Double from the bar..

When you get hit and sitting on the bar, it is normally not a time to reach for the cube. But in backgammon there are always exceptions to the rule. And sometimes reaching for the cube when you are on the bar is exactly what you should do. In this example, not doubling is a double blunder. So I did double and was somewhat surprised when GreedyG dropped. Turns out it was actually a take :D (according to the updated version of GnuBG). But maybe GreedyG knows what she is doing as she dropped and crushed me with a doubled gammon to win the match on the next game.
I didn't feel too bad as my analysis showed "World Class" with only 1.2 error rate. :D

So, the lesson here is don't be afraid to double from the bar. In fact, the mistake most make is missing a chance to double. Often it is only a single roll or 2 and the chance is gone. It turns into a double pass, or worse, the opponent gets lucky and the tables are turned if the position was a double/pass.

I am playing White, score 0-0
3 pt match.
1.jpg
Cube analysis
2-ply cubeless equity +0.600 (Money: +0.581)
0.700 0.207 0.001 - 0.300 0.025 0.002
Cubeful equities:
1. Double, take +0.922
2. Double, pass +1.000 ( +0.078)
3. No double +0.713 ( -0.208)
Proper cube action: Double, take

Code: Select all

3 point match

 Game 1
 bambam : 0                               GreedyG : 0
  1) 65: 24/18 18/13             62: 24/18 13/11 
  2) 13: 8/5 6/5                 62: 24/18 13/11 
  3) 62: 13/11 11/5              45: 11/6 13/9 
  4) 46: 24/18 18/14             24: 25/21 13/11 
  5) 53: 25/22 13/8              34: 13/9 21/18 
  6) 55: 13/8 13/8 8/3 8/3       25: 18/13 13/11 
  7) 65: 8/2 6/1                 51: 8/7 7/2 
  8) 33: 13/10 13/10 6/3 5/2     64: 18/12 18/14 
  9) 24: 22/18 3/1               31: 14/11 12/11 
 10) 41: 8/4 10/9                14: 6/2 8/7 
 11)  Doubles => 2                Drops
      Wins 1 point
 
 


 Game 2
 bambam : 1                               GreedyG : 0
  1)                             14: 13/9 24/23 
  2) 64: 8/2 6/2                 13: 25/24 13/10 
  3) 46: 24/18 18/14             45: 10/5 9/5 
  4) 11: 6/5 6/5 8/7 8/7         26: 13/11 11/5 
  5) 44: 25/21 13/9 13/9 13/9    11: 6/5 6/5 5/4 5/4 
  6) 55:                          Doubles => 2
  7)  Takes                      53: 8/3 6/3 
  8) 53:                         25: 24/22 22/17 
  9) 33:                         35: 17/14 14/9 
 10) 22: 25/23 13/11 13/11 9/7   66: 13/7 8/2 8/2 7/1 
 11) 46:                         63: 24/21 21/15 
 12) 66:                         26: 9/3 3/1 
 13) 64:                         22: 15/13 13/11 13/11 11/9 
 14) 35:                         46: 9/3 11/7 
 15) 53:                         44: 7/3 6/2 6/2 5/1 
 16) 53:                         66: 5/0 5/0 4/0 4/0 
 17) 21:                         11: 2/1 2/1 1/0 1/0 
 18) 12:                         24: 3/0 3/1 
 19) 36: 25/19                   62: 3/0 3/1 
 20) 21:                         23: 2/0 2/0 
                                  Wins 6 points and the match
Attachments
doubleFromBar.zip
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User avatar
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 343
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2010 8:32 pm
Years playing backgammon: 20+ Learned to play on fibs.com playing bots and review with gnubg analysis FIBS rating 1750-1850
Location: USA

Re: Double from the bar..

Here is another double from the bar. I am playing White and double. Correct action is double take but is a coin flip to drop. 3 pt match I am trailing 1-0. I could have doubled on the prev turn but that was a coin flip as well. This position is a .157 blunder if I missed the double. I think it is interesting that not doubling is a blunder .157 but for the opponent whether they take the cube or drop is the same. It is a coin flip either way.
2.jpg

Code: Select all

3 point match

 Game 1
 bambam : 0                               GreedyG : 0
  1) 54: 13/8 24/20              35: 13/8 8/5 
  2) 22: 25/23 24/22 22/20 13/11 65: 25/20 20/14 
  3) 54: 25/20 13/9              33: 24/21 24/21 6/3 6/3 
  4) 14: 9/5 6/5                 51: 14/9 9/8 
  5) 14: 8/7 7/3                 44: 13/9 13/9 8/4 8/4 
  6) 21: 6/5 5/3                 56: 9/3 9/4 
  7) 12: 8/6 6/5                 21: 4/2 3/2 
  8) 56: 25/20 20/14             14: 6/2 2/1 
  9) 53: 14/9 9/6                23: 4/1 4/2 
 10) 54: 6/1 5/1                 64: 8/2 8/4 
 11) 36: 20/14 14/11             55: 21/16 21/16 16/11 16/11 
 12) 25: 11/6 6/4                16: 11/5 5/4 
 13) 13:                         46: 13/7 11/7 
 14) 35: 25/20 8/5                Doubles => 2
 15)  Drops                      
                                  Wins 1 point
 
 


 Game 2
 bambam : 0                               GreedyG : 1
  1) 61: 13/7 8/7                56: 13/7 13/8 
  2) 11: 6/5 6/5 24/23 23/22     35: 8/3 6/3 
  3)  Doubles => 2                Drops
      Wins 1 point
 
 


 Game 3
 bambam : 1                               GreedyG : 1
  1)                             56: 24/18 18/13 
  2) 26: 24/18 13/11              Doubles => 2
  3)  Takes                      23: 13/10 10/8 
  4) 14: 18/14 14/13             36: 24/18 18/15 
  5) 34: 13/9 13/10              65: 25/20 20/14 
  6) 13: 25/22 6/5               16: 13/7 8/7 
  7) 15: 6/5 9/4                 63: 13/7 14/11 
  8) 42: 24/20 22/20             21: 11/9 9/8 
  9) 23: 6/4 10/7                31: 6/3 8/7 
 10) 45: 8/3 7/3                 45: 13/8 8/4 
 11) 54: 13/8 8/4                23: 7/4 4/2 
 12) 26: 8/2 4/2                 46: 7/1 8/4 
 13) 36: 13/7 13/10              43: 6/2 4/1 
 14) 42: 10/6 7/5                55: 13/8 13/8 8/3 8/3 
 15) 66: 20/14 20/14 14/8 14/8   22: 8/6 7/5 7/5 6/4 
 16) 62: 8/2 8/6                 62: 8/2 2/0 
 17) 32: 8/5 2/0                 63: 6/0 3/0 
 18) 51: 6/1 1/0                 42: 4/0 2/0 
 19) 43: 4/0 3/0                 25: 5/0 2/0 
 20) 26: 6/0 2/0                 15: 5/0 1/0 
 21) 42: 4/0 2/0                 24: 6/2 2/0 
 22) 46: 6/0 6/2                 26: 6/0 4/2 
 23) 24: 5/1 2/0                 53: 3/0 3/0 
 24) 16: 5/0 5/4                 24: 2/0 1/0 
                                  Wins 2 points and the match
 
 

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Detailed how to installation guide with screenshots
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