Opening Reply 1-1

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
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .544, .147, .006
  − .456, .123, .004

+.114   RBC
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .539, .151, .006
  − .461, .125, .005

+.106   (.007) (.009) (.001) (.014)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .530, .150, .006
  − .470, .124, .005

+.087   (.026) (.027) (.022) (.030)
  8/5, 6/5   + .522, .156, .006
  − .478, .134, .006

+.067   (.046) (.043) (.025) (.065)
 
After

played
13/11, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*   + .525, .154, .010
  − .475, .119, .005

+.091   (.012) (.016)
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .531, .156, .008
  − .469, .139, .007

+.082   RDB (.009) (.027)
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .526, .142, .007
  − .474, .134, .005

+.062   (.029) (.011) (.039) (.029)
 
After

played
8/5, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .502, .134, .005
  − .498, .138, .005

+.001   (.021)
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .502, .145, .006
  − .498, .153, .008

−.005   RDBC (.006) (.001) (.030)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .488, .135, .005
  − .512, .154, .007

−.044   (.045) (.028) (.048) (.061)
 
After

played
24/21, 13/11
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  6/4*(2)   + .549, .165, .008
  − .451, .117, .005

+.150   RBC
  6/4*, 6/5(2)   + .543, .162, .007
  − .457, .132, .007

+.117   (.033) (.013) (.019) (.043)
 
After

played
13/11, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .562, .172, .009
  − .438, .137, .007

+.163   RDB
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .551, .157, .008
  − .449, .135, .005

+.127   (.036) (.023) (.053) (.021)
 
After

played
24/23, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .537, .144, .006
  − .463, .128, .005

+.091   RBC
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .530, .148, .006
  − .470, .137, .005

+.072   (.019) (.015) (.006) (.032)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .522, .147, .006
  − .478, .129, .006

+.062   (.028) (.030) (.024) (.031)
 
After

played
24/20, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5*(2)   + .588, .188, .010
  − .412, .097, .003

+.274   R
  24/23, 6/5*(3)   + .580, .189, .010
  − .420, .103, .004

+.252   (.022) (.016) (.014) (.029)
  24/23, 8/7, 6/5*(2)   + .573, .188, .010
  − .427, .108, .005

+.230   (.044) (.030) (.031) (.054)
 
After

played
13/9, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*   + .535, .171, .012
  − .465, .121, .004

+.128  
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .533, .162, .009
  − .467, .146, .007

+.082   RDB (.046) (.005) (.023) (.056)
 
After

played
8/4, 6/4
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .518, .154, .007
  − .482, .151, .008

+.039   RDBC (.013)
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .516, .143, .006
  − .484, .143, .005

+.033   (.006) (.004) (.027)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .509, .144, .006
  − .491, .153, .006

+.010   (.029) (.018) (.038) (.035)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .499, .146, .006
  − .501, .138, .006

+.005   (.034) (.038) (.056) (.026)
 
After

played
24/21, 24/20
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  6/5*/4*(2)   + .593, .194, .008
  − .407, .099, .004

+.285   R
  6/5*(2), 6/4*   + .587, .189, .007
  − .413, .107, .005

+.258   (.027) (.013) (.024) (.028)
 
After

played
24/21, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  6/4*(2)   + .549, .162, .007
  − .451, .121, .005

+.142   RBC
  6/4*, 6/5(2)   + .544, .162, .007
  − .456, .136, .007

+.115   (.027) (.010) (.011) (.039)
 
After

played
24/20, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5*(2)   + .597, .173, .008
  − .403, .097, .004

+.274   B
  24/23, 6/5*(3)   + .587, .173, .008
  − .413, .104, .004

+.248   (.026) (.020) (.019) (.033)
  8/7(2), 6/5*(2)   + .581, .179, .009
  − .419, .111, .005

+.233   R (.041) (.032) (.021) (.059)
 
After

played
13/10, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .557, .170, .009
  − .443, .143, .007

+.143   RDB
 
After

played
24/23, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .542, .147, .005
  − .458, .121, .004

+.110   RBC
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .531, .153, .005
  − .469, .122, .005

+.093   (.017) (.022) (.009) (.023)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .532, .149, .005
  − .468, .129, .005

+.085   (.025) (.019) (.015) (.034)
  8/5, 6/5   + .527, .159, .006
  − .473, .132, .006

+.080   (.030) (.030) (.006) (.052)
 
After

played
24/18
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7*(2), 6/5(2)   + .586, .182, .007
  − .414, .102, .004

+.255   R
  8/7*/5, 6/5   + .576, .181, .007
  − .424, .105, .004

+.230   (.026) (.020) (.023) (.028)
  24/23, 8/7*, 6/5(2)   + .573, .177, .007
  − .427, .108, .005

+.217   (.038) (.026) (.036) (.039)
 
After

played
13/8, 6/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .553, .169, .009
  − .447, .133, .006

+.144   RDB (.004)
  24/20*   + .535, .149, .008
  − .465, .113, .004

+.110   (.034) (.035) (.074)
 
After

played
24/22, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .535, .139, .005
  − .465, .120, .004

+.088   RB
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .525, .144, .005
  − .475, .127, .005

+.066   (.022) (.020) (.010) (.033)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .521, .142, .005
  − .479, .123, .005

+.062   (.026) (.026) (.019) (.031)
  8/5, 6/5   + .518, .147, .005
  − .482, .131, .006

+.052   (.036) (.033) (.016) (.054)
 
After

played
13/8, 6/4
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .565, .174, .008
  − .435, .131, .006

+.176   R
 
After

played
13/11, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .569, .173, .008
  − .431, .127, .006

+.184   RDBC
 
After

played
8/3, 6/3
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .546, .167, .007
  − .454, .141, .008

+.118   RBC
 
After

played
13/10, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .570, .173, .008
  − .430, .133, .007

+.183   RD
 
After

played
24/20, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5*(2)   + .582, .169, .007
  − .418, .100, .004

+.235   (.010)
  8/7(2), 6/5*(2)   + .577, .179, .007
  − .423, .111, .005

+.224   RBC (.011) (.009) (.031)
  24/23, 6/5*(3)   + .572, .169, .006
  − .428, .108, .004

+.207   (.028) (.019) (.030) (.034)
  24/23(2), 6/5*(2)   + .566, .169, .006
  − .434, .109, .005

+.193   (.041) (.031) (.042) (.049)
  8/5*, 6/5   + .563, .178, .007
  − .437, .114, .005

+.193   (.042) (.036) (.028) (.064)
  24/23, 8/7, 6/5*(2)   + .565, .173, .007
  − .435, .117, .005

+.186   (.049) (.034) (.037) (.067)
 
After

played
13/9, 13/8
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .566, .172, .008
  − .434, .133, .007

+.172   RDB
 
After

played
13/7, 8/7
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .528, .155, .006
  − .472, .137, .007

+.073   RDBC (.001) (.011)
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .528, .143, .005
  − .472, .132, .005

+.068   (.006) (.023)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .510, .145, .005
  − .490, .128, .005

+.037   (.036) (.037) (.055) (.029)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .513, .142, .005
  − .487, .137, .005

+.030   (.043) (.031) (.056) (.042)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/11
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7*(2), 6/5(2)   + .577, .177, .008
  − .423, .110, .005

+.224   RDBC
  8/7*/5, 6/5   + .565, .179, .008
  − .435, .113, .005

+.199   (.025) (.025) (.019) (.031)
  24/23, 8/7*, 6/5(2)   + .566, .177, .008
  − .434, .116, .005

+.196   (.029) (.022) (.022) (.034)
 
After

played
24/16
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .518, .140, .005
  − .482, .107, .004

+.070   B (.009)
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .515, .147, .005
  − .485, .118, .006

+.059   R (.011) (.006) (.028)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .511, .141, .005
  − .489, .113, .005

+.050   (.020) (.016) (.022) (.026)
  24/23, 8/7, 6/5(2)   + .504, .148, .005
  − .496, .125, .006

+.032   (.039) (.028) (.020) (.063)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .502, .134, .004
  − .498, .109, .005

+.028   (.042) (.034) (.053) (.038)
  8/5, 6/5   + .498, .146, .005
  − .502, .119, .005

+.023   (.047) (.041) (.036) (.064)
 
After

played
13/5
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .560, .171, .009
  − .440, .136, .006

+.157   R
  24/20*   + .539, .146, .007
  − .461, .116, .004

+.113   (.044) (.040) (.089) (.000)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/10
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7*(2), 6/5(2)   + .581, .179, .009
  − .419, .111, .005

+.233   RDBC
  8/7*/5, 6/5   + .570, .180, .009
  − .430, .114, .005

+.210   (.024) (.022) (.020) (.027)
  24/23, 8/7*, 6/5(2)   + .569, .175, .008
  − .431, .116, .005

+.199   (.034) (.024) (.032) (.035)
 
After

played
24/15
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .517, .142, .005
  − .483, .110, .004

+.066   (.009)
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .514, .149, .005
  − .486, .120, .006

+.056   RB (.010) (.005) (.026)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .505, .139, .004
  − .495, .112, .005

+.037   (.029) (.023) (.037) (.028)
  24/23, 8/7, 6/5(2)   + .502, .147, .005
  − .498, .127, .006

+.024   (.042) (.029) (.027) (.062)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .500, .134, .004
  − .500, .110, .005

+.023   (.042) (.034) (.059) (.033)
 
After

played
8/2, 6/2
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .567, .177, .008
  − .433, .137, .008

+.174   RB
 
After

played
24/18, 13/9
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7*(2), 6/5(2)   + .578, .178, .008
  − .422, .114, .005

+.222   RDB
  24/23, 8/7*, 6/5(2)   + .570, .176, .009
  − .430, .119, .005

+.201   (.022) (.015) (.019) (.024)
  8/7*/5, 6/5   + .564, .179, .008
  − .436, .119, .005

+.191   (.031) (.027) (.026) (.037)
 
After

played
24/14
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .515, .152, .005
  − .485, .123, .006

+.057   RBC
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .505, .138, .004
  − .495, .115, .004

+.033   (.025) (.020) (.048) (.004)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .498, .137, .004
  − .502, .115, .005

+.017   (.040) (.034) (.063) (.019)
 
After

played
24/13
  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  8/7(2), 6/5(2)   + .503, .143, .004
  − .497, .118, .005

+.029   RDBC (.009)
  24/22, 6/5(2)   + .499, .134, .004
  − .501, .110, .004

+.022   (.008) (.007) (.025)
  24/23, 6/5(3)   + .492, .136, .004
  − .508, .115, .005

+.005   (.024) (.020) (.033) (.025)
  24/23, 8/7, 6/5(2)   + .492, .141, .004
  − .508, .128, .006

−.004   (.033) (.021) (.025) (.049)
  24/23(2), 6/5(2)   + .484, .128, .004
  − .516, .107, .005

−.012   (.041) (.038) (.067) (.025)
  8/5, 6/5   + .482, .140, .004
  − .518, .120, .006

−.018   (.047) (.041) (.047) (.055)
 

 

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

 

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