Your chips are the darker color. Your opponent Sam is playing conservatively early in the game, as shown in Figure 1. You roll 3-2. How should you play it?

You can play it safe as well, by moving one chip 13-8, or split your offense/defense strategy by playing 24-21 and 13-11. Neither is a bad move, but you’re better off playing 13-11 and 13-10, as shown in Figure 2. That way, you bring down two builders to help you make doors inside your Home Quadrant, and if Sam hits you, it’s no big deal; he doesn’t have much going on in the way of defense.

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