Following are some notes I made during a lesson with one of the
world's best. They cost me, and I pass them along as a gift.
dk
If being hit 11/36 means being gammoned, and you are not a favorite if
missed, it is a marginal take.
2A 3A. You should play on for a gammon where you would cash
otherwise.
3 points in front of a double anchor is a pass. Should cash it.
Be liberal with doubles in tournaments. You will get passes, and if
taken, they don't redouble efficiently.
With one man back, attack and run. Don't try to play pure.
4A 8A. You can double if you have gammon chances..
Don't overprotect a lead. Europeans do this.
4A your initial double is normal.
2A against many away, play as if you own the cube.
Take policy at 2A. Cube is dead and you can't win a gammon, so it is
more conservative than normal. 25%
if there are no gammons against you.
When can you double at 2A4A? Never if there is any gammon chance.
Wait for near 84%, his take point.
5 pieces on the 3 point is a favorite to save gammon.
Aggressive unstacking is the way to avoid gammons.
2A 3A. You can double, if no gammon possibility, at 75%, his take
point.
3A 2A, fast double fast pass.
4A 2A, double early only on gammon threats. Otherwise you can wait,
because opp, has a low take point.
If a squeeze looks likely, break the anchor while he has a blot.
Avoid races when the cube is gone. Hit where you might not otherwise.
Leading 4A 5A don't get gammoned holding the cube. Turn it to 4.
When opp is on the bar against your 4 or 5 point board, take the play
you would if you knew he would fan.
Split early to avoid gammons.
Against an opening 6-5, 3-3 should make 5 and 3 points.
Given a choice of hitting a 2nd piece or making an inner point, make
the point.
8 pieces off and 1 closed out, your have 50%. 10 off, you have 75%.
11 off, double and pass.
5 off, 1 closed out is a pass. 6 off is a take.
Opp has 13 off, 2 closed out, you have 33%
12 off, 25%
11 off, pass his double.
Be happy to miss your market with a small pass.
Don't bury checkers against a back game. Extras in the home are
wasted. Against a 1-3 backgame, slot the 2 point and don't cover it.
Hope that he hits it, so you can recycle it and make the 9 point.
Then the backgame goes broke. Don't be in a hurry to double a back
game. It is a low volatility situation.
If you are 5A 3A and take the cube, you can recube when you get to
50%. Actually your window opens at 37½%.
When playing on, given a choice, play safest. Don't get beaten by a
fly shot.
In a long game, if you can make the 15 or 16 point, do it.
3A 6A is a good score for the leader. If the trailer takes and
recubes and wins, leader still has 40%.
4A is a tricky score. You can take pretty much as for money. The
trailer has to figure on passing or recubing.
When going for a closeout after a hit in the bearoff, if you have to
close to win, slot the 4 5 or 6 points.
1-3 and 2-3 backgames are improved by being hit. Not so 1-4. This
usually degeneratees into an ace point game.
At 5A 5A redouble early.
If the 4 point is open, a 3-5 backgame is better than a
4-5.
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