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In normal circumstances, we have suggested that black move one man from white’s 12 point to his own 5 point. But the circumstances have now changed. In this instance, black’s best answer to the 2-1 is to bring two men down from white’s 12 point, placing them on his own 11 and bar points.

It is a sound offensive play. Black is vulnerable to a direct 6, but white may want to use a 6 to cover his blot on the 5 point. Any 6, 3, or 1 covers this blot, so it would be unwise for black to expose a man to being hit by a 4. Whenever possible, if you have to leave a blot, try to have it vulnerable to being hit by a number that your opponent could use elsewhere to his advantage.

13/7, 13/11

24/18, 13/11

Rollout  Tom Keith 2013

Money play Centered cube Black rolls 6-2 1296 games with VR Checker play: 3-ply Cube play: XG Roller

XGID=-b----E-C---dEa--c-da---B-:0:0:1:62:0:0:0:0

	6-2:		Game	G	BG	Equity
1	24/18, 13/11	W L	.4409 .5591	.1096 .1895	.0054 .0097	−0.2952
2	13/5	W L	.4307 .5693	.1221 .1819	.0061 .0105	−0.2998	(0.0046)
3	13/11, 13/7	W L	.4332 .5668	.1225 .1903	.0071 .0120	−0.3076	(0.0124)
4	24/22, 13/7	W L	.4318 .5682	.1173 .1819	.0058 .0086	−0.3112	(0.0160)
5	24/16	W L	.4318 .5682	.1028 .1864	.0055 .0079	−0.3296	(0.0344)

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List of Positions from Backgammon, the Cruelest Game

Backgammon, the Cruelest Game (1974), by Barclay Cooke and Jon Bradshaw