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Lamford: 100 Backgammon Puzzles--Snowie analysis
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Here is a list of problems in "100 Backgammon Puzzles" where Snowie
rollouts produce results that are at variance with Lamford's suggested
plays. Many of the differences are minor, with a second candidate play
performing about the same as the preferred play. Some differences are
significant (e.g., #41). Many are minor. In at least one case (#100),
Snowie's rollout results are not dependable. I have not included problems
such as #55 where Snowie's 3-ply evaluation disagrees with Lamford but
where rollouts favor his choice over Snowie's.
Checker play problems:
#17
7/3 5/4 and Lamford's 5/1 4/3 come out tied at depth 7.
#24
8/4* and Lamford's 7/4*/3 come out tied at depth 7. 8/4* wins more games
but gives up more gammons.
#41
23/13 clearly prevails over 23/17 5/1 in full rollouts. The latter rates as
a blunder in fact.
#46
Bar/23 5/4 and Bar/23 3/2 come out tied at depth 7.
Cube decisions:
#64
Lamford says no redouble/take. Full rollouts split on whether this is a
redouble or not, with the cube-adjusted numbers saying no redouble/take and
the live cube numbers saying double/take. It's extremely close in either
case. White is 67.1% (16.2%/5.3%) cubeless, putting this on the margin.
#67
In this race position, White leads 100-112, making it double/take. Full
rollouts concur. Lamford says "If the lead was just one pip more, then
Black should pass; two pips fewer and White should wait before doubling."
Here, the rollouts disagree, giving White a legitimate double at 102-112
and 103-112. 104-112 is not quite a double. Snowie agrees, though, that
it's a pass at 99-112.
#76
Lamford says no double/take. Full rollouts make this a very narrow double
and an easy take.
#77
Lamford says no double. Full rollouts put this right at the threshold, with
White at about 66%.
#78
Lamford says "This is a correct, but only marginal double and easy take".
Full rollouts have this as a clear double and take. Not to double would
be a blunder.
#79
Lamford says it is premature to redouble. Snowie figures you lose your
market on 1-1, 2-1 or 4-1, or a 3-1 or 6-1 followed by a fan, or a 4-2 then
a 1 picking up the second blot. Ergo, double/take even though you're only
58% to in. Full rollouts concur.
#86
Lamford says play on for a gammon. Full rollouts say cash now.
#92
Lamford says no double/take. Full rollouts split, with cube-adjusted
numbers saying double/take and the live cube numbers saying no double/take.
Another borderline case, evidently.
#97
Lamford says play on for a gammon. Full rollouts (not score-based) split,
with the cube-adjusted numbers saying cash, and the live cube numbers
saying play on.
#98
Lamford says redouble/take. Full rollouts (both score-based and non
score-based) say that redoubling is a moderate error. White is about 27% to
win here.
#99
Lamford says redouble/take. Snowie 3-play says redouble/pass, and this is
confirmed by rullouts with the bearoff database turned off. White is 66.9%
to win, and Black will not have a recube opportunity, so his take point is
34.0% according to Snowie. Perhaps with a different MET this would be a
take.
#100
In this trick position (all 30 checkers in White's home board), Lamford
says no double/take. Snowie full rollouts say White is 75.8% to win (with
41.0 % backgammons and 61.7% gammons), but playing out this position
manually against Snowie demonstrates that the bot doesn't understand how to
play the Black side here. I would trust Lamford over Snowie in this case.
- Michael Schell
www.cribbageforum.com
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