Position 4

Here is a position I totally butchered.

is XG Roller++ score: 0 pip: 123

1 point match

pip: 98 score: 0 is Chase

XGID=-ABaBBCC----b--b-bBbcc----:0:0:1:33:0:0:0:1:10

to play 33

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.211.pre-release

Small doubles are often difficult to play, in part because there are typically so many options to consider. That wasn't the problem here, however.  Here, I was so worried about playing safely up front, so as not to leave Brown a direct shot from the bar and let him get back into it, that I failed to consider the elephant in the room: how am I going to get my back checkers home?

The answer, of course, is that the shot I feared leaving was the very solution I should have been looking for. If I play safely, all the pressure is on me. Brown can simply hop into my outfield, hold his outside points, and wait for me break my anchor with a 6.

The right idea is to put Brown on the bar against a five point board. This puts all the pressure on him. He's got to perform immediately or risk being closed out and having me stroll home.

This is an embarrassing blunder to share, but perhaps a little embarrassment will help me avoid such a beginner mistake in the future.

is XG Roller++ score: 0 pip: 123

1 point match

pip: 98 score: 0 is Chase

XGID=-ABaBBCC----b--b-bBbcc----:0:0:1:33:0:0:0:1:10

to play 33

1.	XG Roller++	7/4 7/1 6/3*	eq: +0.391
	Player: Opponent: 69.57% (G:36.44% B:0.08%) 30.43% (G:6.93% B:0.34%)
2.	XG Roller++	7/1 6/3*(2)	eq: +0.342 (-0.049)
	Player: Opponent: 67.12% (G:28.13% B:0.06%) 32.88% (G:5.20% B:0.18%)
3.	XG Roller++	7/4 6/3*(3)	eq: +0.172 (-0.219)
	Player: Opponent: 58.62% (G:17.00% B:0.15%) 41.38% (G:7.81% B:0.30%)
4.	XG Roller++	7/4(2) 7/1	eq: +0.120 (-0.271)
	Player: Opponent: 56.00% (G:13.63% B:0.10%) 44.00% (G:5.86% B:0.22%)

eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.19.211.pre-release, MET: Kazaross XG2