Don’t pass this up: part 1

Earlier in this module, we learned about many of the strongest “automatic plays”; we learned to always Just make the 5-point, to Anchor up, and to Point on head without thinking too hard. Below we’ll run through a few other plays that are way too good to pass up. As always, all rules have exceptions, but unless you can spot a very good reason to, don’t pass up the following plays.

Make the rack

Making the 5-pt is very important as a first step towards having a strong board. Making the rack, which is a small prime that includes the 6- 5- and 4-pts, is the next step:

This is a remarkably strong structure, and you need a very good reason to pass it up. Consider the position below:

Here, you and Gary have equal board strengths, and you roll a 42. You have two options, either to make the rack (8/4, 6/4) or hit the checker on the 17-pt (21/17*, 13/11). Making the rack is correct by a mile.

In the early game, making the rack is almost as automatic as making the 5-pt. If you adjust any of the features of this position (for example, by adding a spare checker to the 21-pt so that you don’t need to break your anchor to hit), making the rack will usually remain the top play.

Prevent the rack

Making the rack is powerful; making an anchor to prevent the rack should be equally as compelling. If your opponent is holding the 5-pt, you should fight for the 21-pt anchor (on your 4-pt). Similarly, if your opponent has made the 4-pt, and you get the chance to make the 20-pt (5-pt) anchor, you have to jump at the opportunity.

Below is a classic dilemma of “which golden point to make”, the 20-pt (24/20, 23/20) or the 5-pt (9/5, 8/5):

Since you get to prohibit Gary from making the rack, you absolutely must make the 20-pt anchor in a position such as this one. Note that if Gary’s 4-pt wasn’t made, it would instead be preferable to make our own 5-pt. This anchor is so important that it has been given a special name by GM Michy: the “kirin” point.

Full freedom

The last opportunity that you just can’t pass up is if you’re given the chance at escaping your final backchecker and obtaining full freedom. Especially if you’re up in the race, it’s rarely incorrect to safety your last backchecker.

In the position below, you rolled a perfect running roll to safety your last backchecker to the midpoint (21/13). Unfortunately, this play leaves Gary with a direct shot at your blot on the 10-pt. This roll also presents you with another attractive option: you could make the bar-pt, completing a 5-prime (13/7, 9/7). How do you choose which play is the best one?

As you can guess from this section’s subheading, running is the right play in most cases. You might be wary of leaving a direct shot to run, but most of the time, you aren’t hit and then become a big favorite to win the game. If you do happen to be hit, you’re basically in the same situation as before, with only a single blot trapped behind Gary’s prime. The risk is minimal, but the reward is huge. The 5-prime is a huge permanent asset, for sure, but it isn’t assuring your victory like full freedom does in this situation.

Next lesson: Don’t pass this up: part 2