New day. A simple opening mistake.

White opens with 36s and plays the big split 24/18 then brings down an outfield builder 13/10

Black replies with 42s. Almost all opponent blots in the early opening are best hit, and Black’s roll represents a dividing line. Black correctly plays 13/7*, hitting White off the barpoint.

White rolls 45s from the bar and makes the golden anchor which halts Black’s forward progress.

Black now rolls 53s.

Black could make the standard 3pt. Or Black could stir the pot by a 24/21 affront and a 13/8 balance of spares.

Instead, Black moves the 7pt blot into the home board and past the White anchor. This play is wrong for several reasons. Vaguely reminiscent of moving a pawn twice in a chess opening, the lifting of the barpoint blot stunts the pace of Black’s early development. Instead…

Making a grab for some improvement is required. Although a secondary issue, White’s deuces are duplicated. And Black still has a dynamic game rather than the craven lift of the barpoint blot.

Builders should build, not hide.