The 24/21 13/11 Opening Play in Backgammon
You will always encounter opening rolls that would require you to split your back men in backgammon. Opening rolls that make you split your back men are called split plays. One particular split play is the three-two opening roll. One of the three reasonable plays for this opening roll is to do a 24/21 13/11. Let's check out what this play offers in a game of backgammon.
Playing 24/21 13/11 splits our back checkers using the three in the three-two opening roll. On top of that, this backgammon play brings down a builder to the 11-point using the two. This is a pretty interesting approach to this opening roll in backgammon.
On the outset we can say that the 24/21 13/11 play is a balanced play developing both sides of the backgammon board. It makes preparations to build your side of the backgammon board while attempting to escape your back checkers before things get too complicated.
The 24/21 13/11 play is more popular among the three reasonable plays for the three-two opening roll in backgammon. That being the case, the equity for this play comes up to +.0052, which is quite a good picture in backgammon.
Your blot on the 11-point is really quite safe since it can only be hit if your opponent rolls a six-four. There's a good chance that it won't be hit in the next few turns of the backgammon game. Bringing down this builder from the mid-point adds to your coverage of the backgammon board in case your opponent tries to escape a back checker.
By playing 24/21 13/11 in the opening roll you are also setting up that builder on the 11-point to make a blocking point later in your backgammon game. This is a really nice way to play the two of the three-two opening roll in backgammon.
The splitting action on your opponent's side of the backgammon board works pretty well too. You either two continue running your checker on the 21-point to safety on your next roll or make that point you've just slotted. Everything just depends what your style or game plan is.
Since you have already slotted the 21-point, you are setting up an aggressive style of play early in a game of backgammon. But be warned, the 21-point is also just as important to you as it is to your opponent. You can expect that the two of you will have to fight for that important position on the backgammon board.
Playing 24/21 13/11 is a balanced approach while taking on an aggressive stance when playing the opening roll. This is a great play for the three-two opening roll in backgammon.