Suppose I am bearing off and have two checkers left, one on the 6 point and one on the 4 point. If I roll 5 and 3, is it legal to move the checker on the 6 point to the 3 point and then bear off the checker on the 4 point? Or am I required to make full use of my dice by moving both checkers to the 1 point?
Where can I find a reference to indicate which of these is correct?
Either choice is legal. Here's a reference:
Q: Can I play low number first when bearing off?
Yes, you may play your numbers in either order, as long as each number is played legally.
Actually the rules seem to be unclear. My house rule is to always play EXACT dice moves if possible. Any moves leftover instead of being wasted as in normal play can then be used to bear off. When using moves this way the checker on the highest numbered point (furthest away from the board's edge) is taken off. So using my rule you would NOT be able to bear any checkers off.
