Opening Reply 5-3

Best
Nearly Best
Pretty Good
Not So Good
Here are the best ways to play a roll of    after each of Red's possible opening rolls.

The EQUITY column shows the estimated cubeless equity of each potential play. The best play is displayed with a white background and the other plays are displayed with progressively darker backgrounds to give a rough idea of the amount of equity lost. Plays that give up more than 0.05 in cubeless equity are not listed at all.

  The VOTES column indicates the recommendations of some selected experts:

      D = Joe Dwek, in Backgammon for Profit (1975).
      R = Bill Robertie, in Inside Backgammon, Volume 8 (1998).
      C = Rene Cerutti, posted to the Internet (1999).
      B = Bart Brooks, in Backgammon's Best Openings and Replies (2004).

The check marks denote the best play in each of the following situations:

After

played
24/23, 13/11
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/21, 13/8   + .485, .121, .005
  − .515, .138, .005

−.046   C (.032)
  8/3, 6/3   + .481, .142, .006
  − .519, .151, .007

−.049   RB (.002) (.009) (.036)
 
After

played
13/11, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .455, .139, .007
  − .545, .177, .008

−.129   RB (.004)
  24/21, 13/8   + .451, .118, .006
  − .549, .171, .006

−.152   D (.022) (.008) (.050)
 
After

played
8/5, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .433, .131, .006
  − .567, .185, .009

−.190   RBC
  24/21, 13/8   + .426, .111, .005
  − .574, .182, .007

−.223   D (.033) (.015) (.055) (.010)
 
After

played
24/21, 13/11
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .470, .132, .005
  − .530, .149, .007

−.078   RBC (.004) (.031)
  24/21, 13/8   + .473, .108, .004
  − .527, .136, .005

−.084   (.007) (.044)
 
After

played
13/11, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .478, .150, .008
  − .522, .171, .008

−.065   RDB
 
After

played
24/23, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .549, .144, .007
  − .451, .126, .004

+.120   RBC
 
After

played
24/20, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/5*, 6/1*   + .474, .143, .006
  − .526, .158, .009

−.070   (.014)
  13/5*   + .471, .137, .006
  − .529, .148, .007

−.071   R (.001) (.006) (.019)
 
After

played
13/9, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .529, .152, .009
  − .471, .134, .005

+.081   RDB
 
After

played
8/4, 6/4
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .450, .139, .007
  − .550, .180, .009

−.145   RBC
 
After

played
24/21, 24/20
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .466, .118, .004
  − .534, .126, .006

−.077   R (.013) (.018) (.014)
  13/5*   + .473, .121, .004
  − .527, .140, .007

−.077   (.000) (.029)
  24/21, 13/8   + .469, .102, .003
  − .531, .122, .004

−.084   (.006) (.007) (.046)
  13/8, 6/3   + .456, .109, .004
  − .544, .132, .006

−.113   (.035) (.033) (.056) (.047)
 
After

played
24/21, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .539, .132, .006
  − .461, .127, .004

+.085   RBC
 
After

played
24/20, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*   + .474, .135, .006
  − .526, .150, .008

−.070   RB
  8/3, 6/3   + .459, .123, .005
  − .541, .153, .007

−.114   (.045) (.029) (.054) (.036)
 
After

played
13/10, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .540, .154, .010
  − .460, .137, .005

+.101   RDB
 
After

played
24/23, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .487, .146, .006
  − .513, .147, .007

−.029   RBC (.007)
  24/21, 13/8   + .482, .118, .004
  − .518, .139, .005

−.057   (.029) (.011) (.066)
 
After

played
24/18
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/21, 13/8   + .480, .115, .004
  − .520, .117, .004

−.043   (.026)
  8/3, 6/3   + .477, .131, .004
  − .523, .127, .005

−.043   R (.000) (.007) (.026)
  24/21, 6/1*   + .466, .124, .004
  − .534, .128, .006

−.075   (.032) (.028) (.036) (.051)
 
After

played
13/8, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .461, .138, .006
  − .539, .166, .008

−.107   RB (.006)
  24/21, 13/8   + .456, .117, .005
  − .544, .158, .006

−.131   (.024) (.010) (.054)
  13/10, 13/8   + .444, .130, .006
  − .556, .172, .009

−.156   D (.049) (.034) (.050) (.050)
 
After

played
24/22, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3*, 6/3   + .526, .168, .007
  − .474, .130, .006

+.092   RB
 
After

played
13/8, 6/4
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/21*, 13/8   + .548, .159, .008
  − .452, .110, .004

+.149   R (.001)
  24/21*/16   + .548, .151, .008
  − .452, .121, .004

+.130   (.019) (.015) (.021)
 
After

played
13/11, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .483, .151, .007
  − .517, .157, .007

−.040   RBC
  24/21, 13/8   + .476, .125, .005
  − .524, .151, .005

−.074   (.034) (.014) (.068) (.003)
  13/10, 13/8   + .468, .138, .006
  − .532, .159, .008

−.087   D (.048) (.032) (.058) (.035)
 
After

played
8/3, 6/3
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .471, .148, .007
  − .529, .170, .009

−.082   RBC
  24/21, 13/8   + .467, .126, .006
  − .533, .172, .007

−.112   (.031) (.009) (.053) (.012)
 
After

played
13/10, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .482, .149, .007
  − .518, .163, .008

−.052   R
 
After

played
24/20, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*   + .474, .132, .005
  − .526, .148, .008

−.071   RBC (.007)
  8/3, 6/3   + .468, .122, .004
  − .532, .143, .006

−.088   (.017) (.013) (.032) (.012)
  24/21, 13/8   + .466, .103, .004
  − .534, .135, .005

−.102   (.031) (.017) (.074)
 
After

played
13/9, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .546, .142, .007
  − .454, .129, .005

+.107   RDB
 
After

played
13/7, 8/7
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .456, .136, .005
  − .544, .165, .008

−.119   RBC (.012)
  24/21, 13/8   + .453, .114, .004
  − .547, .156, .006

−.137   (.019) (.005) (.051)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/11
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .458, .128, .005
  − .542, .141, .006

−.098   RBC (.002) (.025)
  24/21, 13/8   + .459, .111, .004
  − .541, .129, .005

−.102   (.004) (.033)
  24/21, 6/1*   + .452, .119, .004
  − .548, .135, .006

−.114   D (.016) (.014) (.029) (.025)
  13/5   + .444, .121, .004
  − .556, .147, .008

−.141   (.044) (.029) (.042) (.066)
 
After

played
24/16
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .473, .137, .005
  − .527, .129, .006

−.049   RB (.004)
  24/21, 13/8   + .466, .115, .004
  − .534, .121, .004

−.074   (.025) (.013) (.056)
 
After

played
13/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .464, .142, .007
  − .536, .172, .009

−.105   R (.004)
  24/21, 13/8   + .458, .116, .005
  − .542, .164, .006

−.135   (.030) (.012) (.065)
  13/10, 13/8   + .449, .132, .006
  − .551, .175, .009

−.148   (.043) (.029) (.050) (.039)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .456, .128, .005
  − .544, .145, .007

−.107   RBC
  24/21, 13/8   + .449, .110, .004
  − .551, .140, .005

−.133   (.027) (.014) (.051) (.003)
  24/21, 6/1*   + .448, .118, .004
  − .552, .148, .007

−.137   D (.030) (.016) (.036) (.022)
 
After

played
24/15
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/10*, 13/8   + .517, .150, .006
  − .483, .127, .005

+.058   RB
  13/10*, 6/1*   + .499, .156, .005
  − .501, .138, .007

+.014   (.044) (.035) (.024) (.059)
 
After

played
8/2, 6/2
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .491, .155, .007
  − .509, .163, .009

−.028   RB
  24/21, 13/8   + .485, .130, .006
  − .515, .164, .005

−.063   (.034) (.011) (.060) (.012)
  13/10, 13/8   + .478, .142, .006
  − .522, .168, .009

−.073   (.044) (.026) (.053) (.035)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*   + .528, .131, .006
  − .472, .121, .004

+.068   RDB
 
After

played
24/14
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .463, .133, .004
  − .537, .133, .006

−.076   RBC (.002)
  24/21, 13/8   + .455, .110, .004
  − .545, .123, .005

−.105   (.029) (.016) (.063)
 
After

played
24/13
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/3, 6/3   + .459, .130, .004
  − .541, .127, .006

−.081   RBC (.011)
  24/21, 13/8   + .453, .106, .003
  − .547, .115, .004

−.104   (.023) (.012) (.060)
  13/10, 13/8   + .444, .119, .004
  − .556, .133, .006

−.129   (.048) (.030) (.052) (.054)
 

 

Summary
  Opening Play   Reply
8/3,
6/3
24/16 13/5 24/21,
13/8
8/5,
6/1
13/10,
13/8
  24/23, 13/11    
  13/11, 6/5     
  8/5, 6/5     
  24/21, 13/11     
  13/11, 13/10     
  24/23, 13/9 *16    
  24/20, 6/5  *5 *5, 1 
  13/9, 6/5 *16    
  8/4, 6/4     
  24/21, 24/20 *5   
  24/21, 13/9 *16    
  24/20, 13/10  *5   
  13/10, 13/9 *16    
  24/23, 13/8     
  24/18    
  13/8, 6/5     
  24/22, 13/8*3     
  13/8, 6/4   *21  
  13/11, 13/8     
  8/3, 6/3     
  13/10, 13/8     
  24/20, 13/8  *5   
  13/9, 13/8 *16    
  13/7, 8/7     
  24/18, 13/11     
  24/16     
  13/5     
  24/18, 13/10     
  24/15     *10
  8/2, 6/2     
  24/18, 13/9 *16    
  24/14     
  24/13     
  8/3,
6/3
24/16 13/5 24/21,
13/8
8/5,
6/1
13/10,
13/8

 

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