Advanced Anchor
from: Marc Werner
It is strategically very advantageous to have an advanced anchor. This is very important goal, when there is still contact. You should try to accomplish this goal as soon as possible. This is consistent with the concept to mobilize your checkers on the 24-point in the early stage of the game. To own an advanced anchor has several considerable advantages:
- Your checkers are closer to home.
- It is much harder for you opponent to build a potent prime to restrain these checkers.
- As long as you keep your anchor in your opponents home board you always have a fine landing place for your men, in case you get hit and must enter from the bar.
- You control the outfield, where the enemy checkers move to the home board, often you will get shots from your anchor.
To understand how importatnt it is to have an advanced anchor,
other conditions being equal, we will show some positions and the
winning chances. In all these positions the race is even or close
to even, every side has an inner point and your only
advantage is the advanced anchor.
Position 63, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 1/12/2010 11:40 AM, from admin
Pipcount: 157(0) - 157(0)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 58.25% | 42.35% | 15.32% | 0.58% |
| Opponent: | 41.75% | 33.78% | 7.70% | 0.27% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | +0.364 | best |
| Double / Take: | +0.215 | -0.149 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +0.636 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Take
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | +0.165 |
| Double: | +0.498 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.11
Same position (board is turned around now, remember: all
positions here are shown with black on roll) but now black is on
roll, white is still the favorite.
Position 64, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 1/12/2010 11:42 AM, from admin
Pipcount: 157(0) - 157(0)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 46.04% | 37.69% | 8.06% | 0.29% |
| Opponent: | 53.96% | 40.73% | 12.79% | 0.44% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | -0.183 | best |
| Double / Take: | -1.288 | -1.105 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +1.183 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Beaver
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | -0.079 |
| Double: | -0.260 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.11
Both sides have an inner point (the 4-point) and the race is
even. With black to roll he is more than a 60% favorite to win the
game!
Position 65, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 1/12/2010 11:46 AM, from admin
Pipcount: 148(-3) - 151(+3)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 62.05% | 44.84% | 16.62% | 0.59% |
| Opponent: | 37.95% | 31.56% | 6.18% | 0.21% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | +0.516 | best |
| Double / Take: | +0.461 | -0.055 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +0.484 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Take
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | +0.241 |
| Double: | +0.716 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.11
The board is turned around now. Even with the other player to
roll your advanced anchor still leaves you as a solid favorite.
Position 489, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 2/25/2010 3:51 PM, from admin
Pipcount: 151(+3) - 148(-3)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 42.00% | 35.26% | 6.51% | 0.23% |
| Opponent: | 58.00% | 42.99% | 14.55% | 0.46% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | -0.352 | best |
| Double / Take: | -1.856 | -1.504 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +1.352 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Beaver
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | -0.160 |
| Double: | -0.491 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.12
The next position show both sides having advanced anchors but
you have the better one
Again the race is nearly even and both sides have the 5-point.
With black on roll, black is a solid favorite.
Position 66, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 1/12/2010 11:51 AM, from admin
Pipcount: 159(-1) - 160(+1)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 55.00% | 39.27% | 15.08% | 0.65% |
| Opponent: | 45.00% | 34.93% | 9.70% | 0.37% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | +0.238 | best |
| Double / Take: | +0.010 | -0.228 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +0.762 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Take
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | +0.100 |
| Double: | +0.316 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.11
Even with white to roll, black is a small favorite.
Position 490, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 2/25/2010 3:57 PM, from admin
Pipcount: 160(+1) - 159(-1)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 49.55% | 38.93% | 10.23% | 0.39% |
| Opponent: | 50.45% | 36.68% | 13.24% | 0.53% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | -0.047 | best |
| Double / Take: | -0.891 | -0.844 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +1.047 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Beaver
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | -0.009 |
| Double: | -0.087 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.12
Golden anchor versus the 3-anchor. The race is nearly even and
both sides have the 4-point. With black on roll, he is a clear
favorite to win the game, having the added strategic advantage that
his inner point is before the enemy anchor. You are still a
favorite even if white is on roll.
Position 67, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 1/12/2010 11:53 AM, from admin
Pipcount: 148(+1) - 147(-1)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 57.31% | 47.50% | 9.49% | 0.32% |
| Opponent: | 42.69% | 36.50% | 6.02% | 0.17% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | +0.279 | best |
| Double / Take: | +0.080 | -0.198 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +0.721 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Take
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | +0.146 |
| Double: | +0.369 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.11
With all this information it is obvious to see how favorable it
is to have an advanced anchor, or at least a better anchor than
your opponent.
Position 491, Category Anchor
Roll or Double?
Black vs White
Moneygame: Jacoby and Beaver
added at 2/25/2010 4:03 PM, from admin
Pipcount: 147(-1) - 148(+1)
Evaluation Level: XG Roller+
Winning Chances:
| Player: | 45.81% | 39.31% | 6.31% | 0.19% |
| Opponent: | 54.19% | 44.47% | 9.45% | 0.27% |
Cubeful Equities:
| No Double: | -0.160 | best |
| Double / Take: | -1.201 | -1.041 |
| Double / Drop: | +1.000 | +1.160 |
Best Cube Action: No Double / Beaver
Cubeless Equities:
| No Double: | -0.084 |
| Double: | -0.234 |
Software: eXtreme Gammon Version: 1.12
All other conditions being equal, it is always to your advantage to own
the superior (more advanced) anchor. Try to accomplish this goal as soon as possible, even if you have to take some risks.
updated: Friday, March 22, 2013