This match was a first-round last chance match in the Chicago Black & White Tournament last year between Nick Ballard and myself. Thanks to Elliot Winslow for recording the match.
Game 1
(Match to 5 points.)
|
|  Kit Woolsey
|  Nick Ballard
|
| 1.
| . . .
| 4-1: 24/20*, 24/23
|
An interesting alternative for White is 1/5*, 17/18, duplicating Black's 6's.
| 2.
| 3-1: bar/22, 6/5*
| 4-1: bar/20*
|
More popular would be bar/23, 8/5*, fighting for the five point. Black's choice guarantees a strong position regardless of the next few rolls.
| 4.
| 6-3: 11/5*, 8/5
| 3-1: bar/22, 23/22
|
24/23, 11/8 is a good alternative. The actual move is a dangerous fight for the twenty point, but Black's position is strong enough to afford the risk.
A sound double by White — his position will be at least equal even if he gets the worst of the next exchange, and it could get very strong quickly. However, Black's take is also sound. His position is well-balanced, he has a defensive anchor, there is little danger of a blitz, and White still has two men to escape.
White decides that he doesn't have the ammunition for a blitz, so he goes for the prime.
In one exchange, Black has achieved near equality.
| 10.
| 6-1: 24/18, 11/10
| 4-3: bar/18
|
An interesting choice. 13/7* is reasonable, but this is not the time to play with three blots.
Leaves an awkward position, but running from the twenty-two point with the blot in the inner board would be very dangerous.
| 13.
| 6-4: 22/16, 22/18
| 4-2: 13/9*, 6/4
|
| 14.
| . . .
| 4-4: 9/1*, 5/1, 22/18
|
A tough choice. The timing has swung to Black's favor, so White tries to bring his men around while Black is on the bar rather than get involved in some kind of holding game by making the seven and sixteen points.
Duplicating 3's. The alternative of burying a man to the ace-point is just too awkward.
| 17.
| 3-2: 6/3*, 5/3
| 4-2: (dance)
|
|
|
|
|
Should Black
redouble to 4?
|
Game 2
(Black leads 2–0. Match to 5.)
|
| Kit Woolsey
| Nick Ballard
|
| 1.
| 3-2: 13/10, 13/11
| 4-2: 8/4, 6/4
|
It would be hard to imagine a worse roll. Perhaps White should double now at the match score, since Black's position could disintegrate in one roll.
Again a proper double, particularly behind in a short match, since White's position can get very powerful. However, Black's game is quite sound, so he must take.
| 4.
| . . .
| 1-1: 6/5(2), 14/13, 24/23
|
| 5.
| 5-2: 15/10, 24/22
| 6-3: 13/4
|
Black's position is getting strong fast, so White attacks, taking advantage of his stronger inner board.
| 7.
| 3-3: bar/22*, 13/10, 13/7
|
|
Making the four point is attractive, but the last 3 would be extremely awkward.
| 7.
| . . .
| 4-1: bar/24, 13/9
|
A risky play, since Black will be eager to attack now that he has made his two point. Bar/1, 12/14, getting an extra builder for the bar point would be safer.
| 9.
| 6-4: 10/4, 8/4
| 3-3: 13/7(2)
|
The only real hope of winning frontwards is that White enters on the one point and Black can win the battle of the primes.
Diversifying the 3's and 1's.
| 11.
| . . .
| 3-1: bar/24, 13/10
|
| 12.
| 3-2: 10/8, 7/4
| 6-1: 24/17*
|
| 13.
| 6-6: (dance)
| 6-2: 24/18, 10/8
|
Quite correct. With two men in the outfield, White is in little danger of losing the priming battle even if hit.
| 16.
| 4-2: bar/23
| 6-6: 18/6, 17/5
|
| 17.
| 5-3: 6/1, 4/1
| 5-1: 9/3
|
| 18.
| 6-4: 5/1
| 6-2: 7/5, 7/1
|
| 19.
| 5-4: 23/14
| 2-2: 8/4(2)
|
| 20.
| 5-2: 14/7
| 3-1: 3/off, 1/off
|
| 21.
| 1-1: 7/5, 2/1(2)
| 6-3: 6/off, 4/1
|
| 22.
| 5-1: 23/17
| 4-1: 4/off, 1/off
|
| 23.
| 4-3: 17/10
| 6-3: 6/3, 6/off
|
| 24.
| 5-4: 10/6, 23/18
| 6-5: 5/off(2)
|
| 25.
| 5-1: 18/12
| 6-3: 5/off, 3/off
|
| 26.
| 6-1: 12/6, 1/off
| 4-3: 4/off, 3/off
|
Game 3
(Score is tied 2–2. Match to 5.)
|
| Kit Woolsey
| Nick Ballard
|
| 1.
| 5-1: 13/8, 6/5
| 4-2: 24/20*, 13/11
|
This short game illustrates a major difference in cube strategy (match versus money play). In money play White's double would be premature and Black would have an easy take, but in a match at this score White's double is mandatory and Black's pass is probably correct. The reason is that a 3–2 lead in a five-point match is a very small lead, since the underdog has all the cube leverage in the next game. Consequently, at the 2–2 score doubles and passes come very quickly.
Game 4
(Black trails 2–3. Match to 5.)
|
| Kit Woolsey
| Nick Ballard
|
| 2.
| 2-1: 13/11*, 24/23
| 4-1: bar/24, 13/9
|
| 3.
| 6-2: 24/16*
| 4-2: bar/23, 13/9*
|
| 4.
| 5-3: bar/20, 23/20
| 6-1: 13/7, 8/7
|
Black should probably double now, at this score. His position is secure, and if he makes his five point on the next roll he might lose his market.
| 5.
| . . .
| 3-3: 24/21(2), 6/3(2)
|
The alternative of 1/4(2), 12/15(2) leaves White in a very stripped position, so he prefers to conveniently unstack the nineteen point.
| 6.
| 1-1: 6/5(3), 8/7
| 6-4: 13/9, 13/7
|
This type of double illustrates the cube leverage available to the player who is behind 3–2 in a five-point match. He has a clear but small advantage in the game, so he jacks up the stakes knowing that he doesn't have to fear a redouble. In addition, a gammon now helps Black but not White. If the positions were reversed, the player with the 3-2 lead could never double from Black's position, as his opponent would take and send it back for the match.
| 8.
| 3-2: 13/8
| 2-1: 23/21, 7/6
|
A good choice. In this type of double holding position, it is worth risking a shot to build one's board and keep a smooth position.
| 10.
| 4-2: 13/7
| 6-2: 21/15, 8/6
|
Running with 20/13 would be unnecessarily risky. Black still has the timing advantage.
| 12.
| 2-1: 5/3, 8/7
| 6-3: 15/9, 6/3
|
| 13.
| 2-1: 8/5
| 5-4: 9/4, 6/2
|
A debatable play, since it gives White something to attack when his position is about to crack, and 7/1 is reasonably comfortable. The advantage in Black's play is that it covers the outfield and increases Black's gammon chances.
Much better than bar/1, 16/19, which would risk a complete catastrophe if a 6 were rolled before a 3.
| 16.
| 4-3: 20/16*/13
| 5-4: bar/16
|
| 17.
| 4-1: 13/9*/8
| 2-1: bar/24, 3/1
|
It might be better for White to switch off the nineteen point and save a 6. However Black's position is also getting critical, so there is a lot to be said for keeping the strongest board.
| 20.
| 6-5: 7/1*, 6/1
| 6-3: (dance)
|
| 21.
| 6-1: 8/2, 3/2
| 4-3: bar/18*
|
| 22.
| 5-4: bar/16
| 6-3: 18/9*
|
| 23.
| 2-1: bar/24*, 5/3
| 6-5: (dance)
|
24/18, 8/5 would probably be stronger. At the risk of a few fly shots, Black could give himself the chance of picking up another man and increasing his gammon chances, and start clearing the eight point while White is on the bar.
Correctly playing off to 4-4 now to get the eight point cleared fast.
| 25.
| . . .
| 4-1: bar/21, 9/8
|
| 26.
| 6-3: 11/5, 8/5
| 6-5: 21/10
|
| 27.
| 2-1: 5/3, 1/off
| 4-4: 21/5
|
| 28.
| 3-3: 6/off(2)
| 6-5: 10/5, 8/2
|
| 29.
| 5-1: 5/off, 1/off
| 6-4: 21/11
|
| 30.
| 4-1: 5/off
| 5-3: 11/6, 3/off
|
| 31.
| 6-5: 5/off(2)
| 5-5: 5/off(2), 6/1(2)
|
| 32.
| 6-2: 5/off, 2/off
| 6-5: 6/off, 6/1
|
| 33.
| 6-4: 3/off(2)
| 6-1: 4/off, 1/off
|
Game 5
(Black leads 4–3, Crawford.)
|
| Kit Woolsey
| Nick Ballard
|
| 2.
| 1-1: 6/5(2), 8/7(2)
| 5-1: 13/8, 24/23
|
| 3.
| . . .
| 5-1: 13/8, 24/23
|
Linking on the opponent's two point, usually a weak play, becomes much stronger when the opponent has released his eight point.
| 4.
| . . .
| 6-5: 23/17, 13/8
|
6-5 was a terrible roll. White's play risks the roof caving in, and overloads the seventeen point. Perhaps superior is 12/18, 17/22, which leaves great potential if he gets away with it, and keeps a secure and balanced position if he gets hit.
An odd play, aimed at keeping all builders for the four point. More normal would be 5/2*, keeping White busy while he is trying to escape.
| 6.
| 5-4: bar/20, 24/20
| 6-4: 23/13
|
| 7.
| 5-1: 13/8, 5/4
| 4-3: 14/10, 13/10
|
Clearing the back point. The alternative of 15/24*, clearing the fifteen point and hitting the annoying man off the twenty-four point is also quite reasonable. Both plays leave sixteen shots out of thirty-six numbers.
Carefully diversifying return shots at the bar point.
So much for diversification! This play, leaving the blot on the midpoint, makes it more difficult for White to get by. Black doesn't necessarily mind getting hit here.
There is something to be said for staying back on the twenty-four point. Black's play guards against a gammon, and still retains reasonable chances of getting a shot as White clears up his outfield.
| 11.
| . . .
| 4-4: 12/4, 10/6(2)
|
| 12.
| 6-4: 20/14, 6/2
| 6-2: 8/2, 8/6
|
The normal play, clearing the back point as fast as possible. However 19/21 might be better, for White is in danger of a 3-squeeze.
| 14.
| 5-3: 20/12
| 5-1: 6/1, 2/1
|
And the roof caves in on White!
| 16.
| 4-3: 22/19*/15
| 5-5: (dance)
|
| 17.
| 6-6: 22/4, 15/9
| 5-2: (dance)
|
| 18.
| 5-3: 6/1, 4/1
| (closed out)
|
| 19.
| 6-1: 20/13
| (closed out)
|
| 20.
| 6-3: 8/5, 13/7
| (closed out)
|
| 21.
| 5-1: 7/6, 9/4
| (closed out)
|
| 22.
| 3-1: 4/off
| (closed out)
|
| 23.
| 6-1: 6/off, 5/4
| (closed out)
|
| 24.
| 6-5: 6/off, 6/1
| 6-4: bar/15
|
| 25.
| 4-2: 4/off, 2/off
| 3-3: 15/6, 8/5
|
| 26.
| 3-2: 3/off, 2/off
| 6-3: 8/5, 6/off
|
| 27.
| 6-4: 5/off, 4/off
| 6-4: 5/off, 4/off
|
| 28.
| 6-1: 5/off, 1/off
| 5-1: 5/off, 1/off
|
Kit Woolsey wins the match, 5 to 3.
