| 158 102 |                           | White money game Blue |
Problem #1 Play Votes Score21/15 6 10016/10 2 707/6, 7/2* 1 6021/16, 9/8 0 4021/16, 7/6 0 40 7/2*, 2/1 0 40
Steve Clark: 21/15.
We are rather short of builders because of the men we have sent on tothe ace point. As a result if we give up our 5 out of 6 prime, we wehave limited chance of repairing it. Since this is the basis of ouradvantage, I am quite reluctant to give it up. Of the 2 plays whichretain the prime, I much prefer 21-15. White will be a favorite to hitus but the other checker will be free to play even so (assuming the bothare not hit). This looks like the right play to me.
George Klitsas: 16/10.
Blue's broken blockade is his strong asset and he should not break it for the moment. Remain 21/15 (second - best but still better than any move that breaks the prime) and 16/10, which is my choice. White will attack, even hitting loose, but Blue will be playing essentially with only one man back and he has good chances to escape.
Rob Maier: 21/15.
No reason to break our prime. Bringing the second checker out is the best chance to bring them home without cracking.
Snowie: 21/15.
Everybody up and everybody out! I'm not going to break by blockade, andI'm not going to get stuck behind White's four-prime if I can help it. Lethim hit me if he can -- maybe he will miss.
Bob Stringer: 21/15.
The opportunity to run, leaving two blots exposed todirect shots in the outfield, comes up surprisinglyoften. I think a problem like this was discussed onthe Bulletin Board recently. It's one of the firstkind of plays that Snowie taught me to look for. Myidea here is that White is not likely to hit bothblots, in order to hit just one of them he has to giveup his midpoint (while he still has three back), andthere's a decent chance (10 to 26) that White will missaltogether. And if he misses, life becomes much easierfor me. In the meanwhile, I have that broken primeblocking White's back men.
Although running has its risks, I don't like thealternatives. I'd like to play 21/16, but what to dowith the one? 7/6, obviously. That has the attractionof leaving only a single blot and fewer shots than21/15, so that's my second choice, but it stays secondbecause even if White misses, there's still work to bedone. After 21/16 7/6 it isn't going to be easy for meto clear either the 16 or the 9 point, and breaking the7 makes things easier for White.
7/6 7/2* is worth a look, but getting hit really hurts,and again, I'd like to keep that prime while things arein doubt and White has three men back. 7/2*/1, burying4 men, is despicable. 16/10 has surface appeal, but ifWhite doesn't hit on the 10, he'll hit loose on the 21if he can -- another inducement for getting that backman outta there. Finally, 21/16 9/8 gives up too muchof the blockade.
In short, I think that running is the play to look forin this kind of position, and given the lack of astrong alternative, it's the best here. I don't knowthat it's significantly stronger than anything else,but it feels that way.
Casper Van Der Tak: 7/6, 7/2*.
Blue is far ahead in the race, and has to bring this position home. Several plays have merit: 21/15; 16/10; 7/2* 2/1 and 7/6 7/2*. First to go is 7/2* 7/1: too ugly - Blue is already stripped, and burning another checker does not help. Second to go is 21/15, too many shots. 16/10 is very plausible, but I am afraid of sequences in which White hits lose and Blue does not hit back - White builds a quick prime, and Blue is completely stripped. And the back checker would be come isolated.
My final choice: 7/6 7/2*. The strategy is to immobilize White on the bar, and use that opportunity to run the checkers around the board. Sounds plausible to me.
Kit Woolsey: 21/15.
I'm not willing to give up any part of my blockade, and I can't afford tostay back on the 21 point and be pounded on. White may hit one of my checkers,but he is unlikely to be able to hit both of them. The other checker willgive me the necessary freedom to maneuver a bit and hold my blockade. Andif White happens to miss the double shot I am in great shape.
Chris Yep: 21/15.
Blue's front position is a bit fragile -- he has a completely dead checker on his ace point and is just barely hanging onto his broken 5-prime. If White rolls well, Blue is in danger of getting stuck behind White's 4-prime. White will definitely hit loose on the 4 point in order to extend his prime. Blue's best way to defend against this tactic is probably to keep his broken 5-prime. Here it appears that the best defense is a good offense. I believe that Blue should not touch his prime. This leaves two choices: 16/10, safetying one checker, or 21/15, getting both checkers into the outfield. I believe Blue should play 21/15. 16/10 safeties one checker completely but strands the other one. After 21/15 there are two primary scenarios to consider. If White misses both blots Blue is a big favorite to safety both checkers (not necessarily on the first roll, sometimes on the second roll). If White hits only one checker, Blue not only has return shots from the bar, but also is a big favorite to safety the other outfield blot. So after 21/15 most of the time Blue safeties at least one checker and he's more likely to immediately safety both checkers. So overall 21/15 looks to be superior to 16/10.
Summary: The panel's clear direction was to hold the fort and get over the prime.This is very consistent with Blue's position. Getting stuck behind White'sblockade is not a good idea.