| 162 140 |                          | White money game Blue |
Problem #8 Play Votes Score15/9, 6/5* 3 10015/8 3 9013/7, 8/7 3 90 24/18, 6/5* 0 40
Steve Clark: 13/7, 8/7.
I wish I had a clue. I would not play 24-18. That seems to be thewrong idea. Unfortunately there are 3 other distinct plays here and Iam quite uncertain which is best. If we were behind in the race, Iwould be happy to hit. Since we are significantly ahead here, I willeliminate 15-9, 6-5 without any confidence that this is right.
Supersafe 15-8 could also be the best play, but I will go with makingthe bar point. In general it is right to leave a blot in youropponent's outer board if the alternative is making the bar point.Since we are significantly ahead in the race, there is less argumentthan usual for taking this risk. Even so I will do it because we willcreate very significant duplication of opponent's 3's. Often there isless value to duplication than meets the eye, but I will let it swingthe balance here.
George Klitsas: 13/7, 8/7.
Interesting is the pure 15/9 6/5* , but more than half the rolls hit back. I'll go for the quieter 13/7 8/7, which leaves a solid position, duplicating threes for my opponent. Still, the two plays are close in my opinion.
Rob Maier: 13/7, 8/7.
The bar is always nice. The duplication of threes is pretty severe.
Snowie: 15/8.
If I've said it once, I've said it 100 times -- when ahead in the race, race.I am way ahead in the race, so I do not want to complicate the issut bygetting involved in a blot-hitting contest. The simple 15/8 leaves me witha fine position. My back checker will escape when the time comes, and inthe meantime my distribution is decent for further improvement.
Bob Stringer: 15/9, 6/5*.
This roll can't be played safely unless I want a really loathsome structure. If I'm going to leave a blot, itwill be where it does two good things -- makes itpossible to grab my five point, while preventing Whitefrom making it on his next roll.
Casper Van Der Tak: 15/8.
Who cubed this and when??? And why??? I would play simple checkers here, ahead in the race and less men back, no need for complications. Just hop the last checker, safety it, and bring it home. This is a quieter approach than I would like considering the fact that I do not have cube access, but nothing better seems available.
Kit Woolsey: 15/9, 6/5*.
The bar point would be nice, but White is threatening too much. The loosehit unstacks the heavy six point, puts White on the bar, and gives Blue agood chance to win the fight for the five point. If Blue can win that fight,he will have a very strong position.
Chris Yep: 15/9, 6/5*.
Blue has two different approaches. He can play quietly (15/8 or 13/7 8/7) or he can fight for his 5 point. Of the moves which fight for the 5 point, 15/9 6/5* looks better. By playing 15/9 Blue escapes a back man and provides another builder for the 5 point. The checker on the 24 point is safe for now. Leaving checkers on the 18 and 15 points just gives White targets to hit from the bar (in particular it gives White a good 6 from the bar). It's thematic to play quietly when ahead in the race and with fewer men back. Here however it seems too passive. If Blue plays 15/8, White has his whole roll to build or make the strong 20 point anchor. If Blue instead plays 13/7 8/7 he makes the bar point and duplicates White's 3s, but still gives White 16 hitting numbers (almost as many as if he had played 15/9 6/5*). In addition when White hits, he simultaneously brings down another builder into his outfield. The quiet moves are solid, but I prefer 15/9 6/5* which takes away half of White's roll, unstacks the heavy 6 point, and fights for the important 5 point.
Summary: A truly great problem. Three plays tie for the first placevote, and each play is thematically very different from the others. It wouldn'tsurprise me at all if one of the plays were substantially better or worse thanthe others, but which one?