Cash game. Jacoby rule. Black on roll. Black has a good double, with much the better of the gammon chances. Rollouts reveal that Black wins twice as many gammons here. Close race, but trailing White by a roll. Black has the better board and a premium anchor. The attack chances strongly favour Black, with some points on the head of the white blot and some pick-and-passes onto the acepoint, hitting. Tally of shots: eight rolls to hit and point, plus the six fly shots to hit in the outfield. Include a few shots hitting loose within Black’s better board, and Black has plenty of fire power to justify a first double. All in all, good prospects.

On the other wavelength, White is just as speedy in this race, not yet in trouble, boasts a solid if gappy board and, remarkably, is still dickering over the outfields, where both sides are stripped and both have used all 8pt builders. Certainly this is a take.

Black knows there are definite market losers, mostly when the white runner dances on the bar.

Black easily wins 3 games out of 5 from here.

Double/Take