Chouettes

Forum Archive : Chouettes

 
California rule

From:   Peter Anderson
Address:   pander612@hotmail.com
Date:   27 November 2001
Subject:   "California" rule for chouette
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   IMSM7.460$Lk.138884@dfiatx1-snr1.gtei.net

In chouette play, sometimes we play what we call a "California" rule
(don't know why it's called that)

Goes like this:

On the opening roll, the winner can either play the roll like normal, or
has the option of rerolling (with both dice) if the cube is turned (and
stays in the middle).

Local strategy in this loose game is as follows:

  If you win the opener with a natural 3-1, 4-2, or 6-1, take the roll.
  Otherwise turn the cube and re-roll.

Does anyone know if this is optimum?

Gary Wong  writes:

GNU Backgammon thinks so.  Assuming you're not allowed doubles on the
reroll, its cubeless evaluation of the equity being on roll in the
starting position with a centred 2-cube is +0.069, whereas the equities
after each of the 15 legal opening rolls are:

  31: 8/5 6/5      +0.108
  61: 13/7 8/7     +0.078
  42: 8/4 6/4      +0.077

  65: 24/13        +0.065
  53: 8/3 6/3      +0.037
  54: 24/20 13/8   +0.031
  62: 24/18 13/11  +0.024
  63: 24/18 13/10  +0.023
  64: 24/18 13/9   +0.021
  32: 24/21 13/11  +0.017
  43: 24/20 13/10  +0.016
  52: 24/22 13/8   +0.013
  51: 24/23 13/8   +0.008
  21: 24/23 13/11  +0.002
  41: 24/23 13/9   -0.001

So only 31, 61 and 42 are better than rerolling with a centred 2-cube.
(65 is very close.)

Peter Anderson  writes:

Thanks Gary.  Exactly what I was wondering.  However, the re-roll  IS
allowed doubles.  How does that change the strategy?

Gary Wong  writes:

If doubles are allowed, then gnubg thinks it is always better to
turn the cube and re-roll than to play the first roll you get.  The
combination of the chance of the 6 possible doubles and the benefit
of increasing the stakes in a position where you have an advantage
without forsaking cube access is too valuable to keep even a initial
31.

  (To be precise, its evaluation of the cubeless equity for being on
roll in the starting position when doubles are permitted is 0.061 on a
1-cube, and so 0.122 on a 2-cube.  This is greater than the equity
following any of the non-double opening rolls on a 1-cube, including
31 which is worth 0.108.)

Cheers,
Gary.
 
Did you find the information in this article useful?          

Do you have any comments you'd like to add?     

 

Chouettes

Automatic doubles with carryover  (Alexander Zamanian, Jan 1999) 
California rule  (Peter Anderson+, Nov 2001) 
Captain drops and others take  (Grafix8888+, Sept 2000) 
Chouette cube strategy  (Stanley E. Richards+, Mar 2011) 
Cube proxy  (Ilia Guzei+, June 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Dream chouette  (Phil Simborg+, Sept 2009) 
Extras  (Daniel Murphy, Feb 1997) 
Extras  (Albert Steg, July 1996) 
Extras  (Anthony R Wuersch, Mar 1995) 
Fish-hunt rules  (Chuck Bower+, Feb 2006)  [GammOnLine forum]
Interlocking chouette  (wintom+, Jan 2008) 
Jacoby rule  (Doug Doub+, Aug 2005)  [GammOnLine forum]
Legal plays only  (Gregg Cattanach+, Aug 2001) 
Los Angeles Rules  (Joe Russell, Apr 2013) 
Los Angeles Rules  (Justin N.+, Aug 2011) 
Lure of the chouette  (Bob Koca+, July 2004) 
Mandatory beaver  (Roland Scheicher+, Mar 2002) 
Mandatory beaver  (David Montgomery, Jan 1999) 
Money management  (Albert Steg, Sept 1998) 
Online chouette rules  (John Graas, July 2003)  [Long message]
Order of succession  (leobueno+, Aug 2011) 
Order of succession  (Albert Steg, June 1995) 
Procedure when captain doubles  (Bill Riles+, Feb 2010) 
Split cube actions  (Neil Kazaross, June 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Strategy  (Michael J. Zehr, Sept 1998) 
Variable stakes  (Christopher Yep+, Apr 2000) 
Waiting for teammate to double  (Øystein Johansen+, July 2001) 
When box takes a partner  (Dan Pelton+, Mar 2009) 
When does player retain the box?  (Daniel Murphy, Jan 1997) 
When is consulting allowed?  (Dave+, Mar 2000) 

[GammOnLine forum]  From GammOnLine       [Long message]  Long message       [Recommended reading]  Recommended reading       [Recent addition]  Recent addition
 

  Book Suggestions
Books
Cheating
Chouettes
Computer Dice
Cube Handling
Cube Handling in Races
Equipment
Etiquette
Extreme Gammon
Fun and frustration
GNU Backgammon
History
Jellyfish
Learning
Luck versus Skill
Magazines & E-zines
Match Archives
Match Equities
Match Play
Match Play at 2-away/2-away
Miscellaneous
Opening Rolls
Pip Counting
Play Sites
Probability and Statistics
Programming
Propositions
Puzzles
Ratings
Rollouts
Rules
Rulings
Snowie
Software
Source Code
Strategy--Backgames
Strategy--Bearing Off
Strategy--Checker play
Terminology
Theory
Tournaments
Uncategorized
Variations

 

Return to:  Backgammon Galore : Forum Archive Main Page