Double Trouble

[Simborg]

Black leads 1-0 in a match to 7 and is on roll. What is the proper cube action? Should Black double? If Black doubles, should White take?






This position came up in my finals match at the weekly club in Chicago. I was Black, and I really wasn't sure if I should double. I thought I might be "too good" to double, because if things go well, I might get a gammon. At the same time, if I don't hit, or I dance, things can go very wrong for me and I could get the cube back quickly.

I remember the advice of one of the best teachers in the game, and he taught me well: Kit Woolsey. He said if you aren't sure, double. You might be right to double, and you might be wrong, but more important, you give your opponent a chance to make a mistake too. There is no chance for him to make a mistake if you don't double.

So I doubled, and he dropped. As you can see below, I was right to double, and he should have taken. So by him dropping what was a take, I gained a tremendous amount of match equity by doubling.