Opening Reply 4-4

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
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .602, .156, .005
  − .398, .066, .002
 +.297   RBC (.081)
  24/20(2), 6/2*(2)   + .587, .174, .007
  − .413, .078, .002
 +.275   (.022) (.030) (.076) (.053)
  8/4(2), 6/2*(2)   + .574, .225, .013
  − .426, .112, .005
 +.269   (.028) (.055) (.147)
 
After

played
13/11, 6/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*(2), 13/9(2)   + .630, .205, .013
  − .370, .068, .002
 +.409   RB
  24/20*(2), 8/4(2)   + .611, .218, .018
  − .389, .077, .002
 +.378   D (.031) (.040) (.014) (.056)
 
After

played
8/5, 6/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5(2)   + .492, .162, .008
  − .508, .156, .007
 −.009   RDBC
 
After

played
24/21, 13/11 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 8/4*(2)   + .601, .189, .008
  − .399, .076, .003
 +.321   RBC (.017)
  8/4*(2), 6/2(2)   + .574, .225, .013
  − .426, .112, .005
 +.269   (.052) (.054) (.126)
 
After

played
13/11, 13/10 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .603, .165, .006
  − .397, .071, .002
 +.304   RDB
 
After

played
24/23, 13/9 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*, 6/2*(2)   + .609, .212, .013
  − .391, .098, .003
 +.342   RBC (.022)
  24/16*, 13/9(2)   + .605, .176, .009
  − .395, .097, .003
 +.295   (.047) (.008) (.079) (.029)
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .590, .145, .004
  − .410, .068, .002
 +.259   (.082) (.039) (.172)
 
After

played
24/20, 6/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*(2)   + .587, .234, .013
  − .413, .101, .004
 +.316   (.042) (.104)
  24/20*(2), 13/5*   + .601, .179, .009
  − .399, .073, .002
 +.315   R (.001) (.014) (.082) (.020)
  24/20*(2), 13/9(2)   + .608, .150, .007
  − .392, .070, .002
 +.301   (.015) (.126)
  24/20*, 13/5*, 13/9   + .581, .202, .013
  − .419, .095, .004
 +.277   (.039) (.055) (.076) (.106)
  24/20*, 13/5*/1*   + .576, .206, .008
  − .424, .093, .003
 +.270   (.046) (.064) (.078) (.110)
 
After

played
13/9, 6/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*/16*, 8/4(2)   + .618, .281, .034
  − .382, .082, .003
 +.465   DB (.016) (.027)
  24/20*/16*, 13/9(2)   + .626, .255, .025
  − .374, .077, .003
 +.453   R (.012) (.035)
 
After

played
8/4, 6/4 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .574, .148, .005
  − .426, .072, .002
 +.227   RDBC
 
After

played
24/21, 24/20 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*, 8/4*(2)   + .586, .244, .009
  − .414, .107, .005
 +.314   R (.005) (.033)
  13/5*(2)   + .589, .192, .007
  − .411, .093, .003
 +.279   (.034) (.101)
 
After

played
24/21, 13/9 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*, 8/4*(2)   + .621, .233, .015
  − .379, .095, .004
 +.391   RBC
 
After

played
24/20, 13/10 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*(2)   + .602, .216, .011
  − .398, .100, .004
 +.328   RB
 
After

played
13/10, 13/9 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*, 13/9(2)   + .599, .186, .013
  − .401, .105, .004
 +.287   RB (.011) (.061)
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .594, .159, .006
  − .406, .071, .002
 +.280   D (.006) (.019) (.062)
  24/16*(2)   + .604, .146, .008
  − .396, .102, .003
 +.257   (.029) (.069) (.043)
 
After

played
24/23, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .592, .145, .004
  − .408, .065, .002
 +.267   RBC (.111)
  8/4(2), 6/2*(2)   + .576, .217, .010
  − .424, .113, .005
 +.260   (.007) (.033) (.129)
  24/20(2), 6/2*(2)   + .572, .151, .005
  − .428, .075, .002
 +.223   (.044) (.041) (.138) (.061)
  13/9(2), 6/2*(2)   + .568, .192, .008
  − .432, .113, .005
 +.218   (.049) (.048) (.065) (.145)
 
After

played
24/18 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .576, .121, .003
  − .424, .053, .002
 +.220   R
  24/20(2), 6/2(2)   + .554, .123, .003
  − .446, .062, .002
 +.171   (.049) (.042) (.038) (.060)
 
After

played
13/8, 6/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*(2), 13/9(2)   + .632, .176, .008
  − .368, .068, .002
 +.378   RB
  24/20*(2), 8/4(2)   + .610, .189, .011
  − .390, .076, .002
 +.342   D (.036) (.043) (.016) (.060)
 
After

played
24/22, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .588, .130, .004
  − .412, .065, .002
 +.244   RB
 
After

played
13/8, 6/4 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .580, .148, .004
  − .420, .066, .002
 +.244   R
 
After

played
13/11, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .601, .161, .005
  − .399, .067, .002
 +.299   RDBC
 
After

played
8/3, 6/3 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .581, .153, .005
  − .419, .072, .002
 +.247   RBC
 
After

played
13/10, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .595, .157, .005
  − .405, .069, .002
 +.282   RD
 
After

played
24/20, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/5*(2)   + .601, .210, .008
  − .399, .099, .004
 +.318   RBC
 
After

played
13/9, 13/8 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*, 13/9(2)   + .609, .176, .010
  − .391, .102, .004
 +.299   RB (.037)
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .592, .154, .005
  − .408, .066, .002
 +.275   D (.024) (.033) (.078)
 
After

played
13/7, 8/7 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .580, .143, .004
  − .420, .064, .002
 +.240   RDBC
 
After

played
24/18, 13/11 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .560, .120, .003
  − .440, .058, .002
 +.184   RDBC
 
After

played
24/16 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  13/9*/5(2)   + .612, .215, .009
  − .388, .093, .003
 +.353   (.016) (.075)
  24/20(2), 13/9*(2)   + .620, .166, .006
  − .380, .063, .002
 +.347   RB (.006) (.084)
 
After

played
13/5 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20*(2), 13/9(2)   + .638, .175, .008
  − .362, .066, .002
 +.392   R
  24/20*(2), 8/4(2)   + .617, .188, .010
  − .383, .077, .002
 +.353   (.039) (.043) (.017) (.065)
 
After

played
24/18, 13/10 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .553, .114, .003
  − .447, .057, .002
 +.165   RDBC
 
After

played
24/15 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .573, .136, .003
  − .427, .051, .002
 +.232   RB
 
After

played
8/2, 6/2 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .587, .155, .005
  − .413, .069, .002
 +.263   RB
 
After

played
24/18, 13/9 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/16*, 13/9(2)   + .589, .159, .008
  − .411, .095, .003
 +.248   R (.019) (.038)
  24/16*(2)   + .598, .124, .005
  − .402, .085, .002
 +.238   B (.010) (.053)
  24/16*, 6/2(2)   + .569, .166, .009
  − .431, .107, .004
 +.201   (.046) (.059) (.026) (.104)
 
After

played
24/14 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .568, .137, .003
  − .432, .052, .002
 +.224   RBC
 
After

played
24/13 		  Reply
   PLAY W      G     BG     EQUITY VOTES CL DMP GG GS
  24/20(2), 13/9(2)   + .564, .131, .003
  − .436, .048, .002
 +.211   RDBC
 

 

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

 

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