Backgammon Position Analysis

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• GreedyGammon backgammon position

  Here is a seemingly straight forward roll to hit the blot and bring our checkers home. But as it happens often in backgammon the correct play is not the one that we jump to make. The gnubg bot says we should hit on the ace of course but the other 44 should be from the 7 pt and not from the 6. So how can this be correct> Why is there an advantage to leaving a blot on the bar point when we can play safe and put the opponent on the bar. Looks like we have to get some help from our friends at rec.games.backgammon for some insight into why our play was wrong.  This match was played at the online backgammon site greedygammon.com .