# Game 4.
Starting a new game with stefanp.
Ivan rolled 3, stefanp rolled 2
Ivan makes the first move.
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| O | | X |
| O | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O | | O |
| X O | | O X |
| X O | | O X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 Ivan rolled 2 3.
Ivan moves 13-10 13-11 .
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+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O | | O |
| X O | | O X |
| X O O O | | O X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
stefanp says: With Ivan's 32, I prefer to split my back men with this
roll. His move starts stripping the midpoint very early
stefanp rolls 5 and 1.
stefanp says: 13-8 24-23, going for the advanced anchor
stefanp moves 12-17 1-2 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O | | O |
| X O | | O |
| X O O O | | O X X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: Ivan
Ivan rolls 4 and 1.
Ivan says: Obvious play. If he had split further out, making the 9pt
might be better
stefanp says: Making the bar point looks best
Ivan moves 11-7 8-7 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | O |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O |
| X O O O | | O X X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
stefanp rolls 6 and 3.
stefanp says: The hit is automatic - backgammon is primarily a racing
game, and this puts me in the lead in the race
stefanp moves 1-4 4-10 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | O |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O |
| X X O O | O | O X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-1 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: Ivan
Ivan rolls 1 and 4.
Ivan says: bar-24 is sick (to borrow Neil Kazarros' phrase). I slot
with the 1. I've got more men back, he's weak on builders for
blitzing, plus the 5pt is valuable to me. I don't care if I get sent
back
stefanp says: He can only hit back on the 2pt - is it worth it to keep
me off balance? I think not. bar-21 24-23 looks better to me - going
for the advanced anchor
Ivan moves bar-21 6-5 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O |
| X X O O | | O O X |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
stefanp says: A very bold play. Can splitting and slotting be right
here? Probably not as there is no duplication - I also have his men on
7pt and 8pt frozen
stefanp rolls 6 and 2.
stefanp says: Making the 10pt puts me ahead in the race. Hitting on my
4 point (21pt) with the 2 is not right as I have this alternative
stefanp moves 2-4 4-10 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O O |
| O X | | X O |
| O X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X X O O | | O |
| X X O O | | O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: Ivan
Ivan says: I need some outfield presence
Ivan rolls 2 and 6.
Ivan says: But not with that roll. 21-15 is weak - too far away from
my backmen. 24-18 is too blotty. Making the 5pt is the best of a
mediocre roll
stefanp says: Making his 5 point looks best, and hope to pick me off
as I come round - I need to be careful here. 21-13 makes it too easy
for me to get home
Ivan moves 13-7 7-5 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X O O |
| O X | | X O |
| X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X X O O | | O O |
| X X O O | | O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
stefanp rolls 5 and 5.
stefanp says: A good roll for me to make my 5 point (20pt). He is now
under a lot of pressure to make an anvanced anchor or face the cube
soon. 10-15(2) 17-22(2) leaves me too stripped [Ed: stefan said 14-
10(2) 5-3(2) there]
Ivan says: Make two points, not the 20pt (is too inflexible). 10-
15(2), 17-22(2) is best
stefanp moves 10-15 10-15 15-20 15-20 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X X O O |
| O X | | X X O |
| X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O O |
| X O O | | O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: Ivan
Ivan says: We differ; if I can anchor, I should get a shot
Ivan rolls 1 and 2.
stefanp says: The advanced anchor must be key for him - no other play
Ivan moves 24-22 22-21 .
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+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X X O O |
| O X | | X X O |
| X | | X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O O |
| X O O | | O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
stefanp says: Now I can't double yet because of the man on my ace
point
Ivan says: Game on
stefanp rolls 5 and 3.
stefanp says: One of my best non-double rolls. Making the 3 point
(22pt) is clear - the cube is geting closer
stefanp moves 17-22 19-22 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X | | X X O X O |
| O X | | X X O X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
| | | |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O O | | O O |
| X O O | | O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: Ivan
Pipcounts: Ivan 156 stefanp 116
Ivan rolls 6 and 5.
Ivan says: 40 pips behind. I shouldn't run to the midpoint - too
behind in the race, the 21pt is too advanced to be a threat, and I
don't want to break anchor to hit.
Ivan says: 24-18 isn't too bad, and then start my 3pt with 8-3. A good
holding position, but I'd rather be deeper in his homeboard in that
case. I need to be able to hit in the outfield, and 24-18 gives me
that possibility.
stefanp says: If he runs with the back men I may double. 13-7 13-8 may
be better, as his midpoint is going to go before mine anyway
Ivan moves 24-18 8-3 .
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
+------------------------------------------+ X: stefanp - score: 1
| O X O | | X X O X |
| O X | | X X O X |
| X | | X |
| | | X |
| | | |
v| |BAR| | 11-point match
| | | |
| X | | O |
| X | | O |
| X O | | O O |
| X O O | | O O O |
+------------------------------------------+ O: Ivan - score: 2
12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
BAR: O-0 X-0 OFF: O-0 X-0 Cube: 1 turn: stefanp
Pipcounts: stefanp 116 Ivan 145
Ivan says: Double/drop - he can hit safely
stefanp says: A very bold play by Ivan. I think I will double here as
hitting on my bar point is a market loser, and even if I miss I am
still strong. Probably a take - but not very nice for him. I don't
know what I'd do in his position, therefore must be a double
stefanp says: His move to the bar point was probably wrong - it gave
me market losers
stefanp doubles.
Ivan says: Drop. He can hit and run, I can't make a backgame (can't
get two points unless he hits my midpoint), and am well behind in the
race. I'm not going to get a hit for at least three rolls, and I don't
have the timing to wait that long
Ivan gives up. stefanp wins 1 point.
score in 11 point match: stefanp-2 Ivan-2