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playing a 1 pt match got a 'VERY lucky" roll as per gnubg and I fumbled it with "very bad" move.
So I scoot up the back checker with the 2 and lifted the blot on my homeboard. Gnubg says NO!! -.200 blunder
Should have moved the back checker all the way out. hmmm... wonder why. Lets ask the experts on rgb.

Here is a slight variation of the above position. In this case gnubg says it's ok to take one out and lift the blot on the 6 pt with the 2 roll.
So what it seems is that gnubg does not under any circumstances want to leave a blot on the ace pt when the bar point is closed off. But with the bar pt open, it is much more relaxed about that blot on the act pt as it can run with any 6

great responses from reg.games.backgammon

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For this sort of decision (lift or jump out), I find it helpful to remember the following observation: If I lift and don't jump out, then I'm *guaranteed* to have two checkers behind the prime next turn, but if I jump out, then even if I get hit, I'll still have just two checkers behind the prime. But I might not get hit, in which case I come out ahead.

This argument does have to be weighed against other factors of course. If you break anchor and leave a blot then you increase the risk of being gammoned. But gammons don't matter in a 1pt match. Also your opponent might get very lucky and hit twice from the bar, which will of course be very bad, but the chances of that are low. But the main thing to recognize is that O's prime is strong and if you lift, then if don't roll a 5 or a 6 next time then your position is going to deteriorate badly. Right now you have an excellent five-point board and you don't want to risk having to tear it up.

One other thing that I wanted to mention is that stepping out gives you a direct shot at a second blot. Even if O dances, you're far from gin, so picking up the second blot will help a lot.
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Tim Chow
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Ask yourself what would happen if O rolls a 6. If you play the bot's move then you better forget about winning. If you play your move then only 66,55 would save you. By the minute you lift one from the 3pt O will hit you loose and from there on you will have about 30% chances.
So you should adjust your play on the condition O will NOT roll a 6.

Michael


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