sol4025m.htm | Gammonline - Backgammon Resources

Allen Adams: 8/2*, 6/1*.
The question is whether to be passive or aggressive. If the cube wasn't turned, playing passively by playing 20/14 8/3 or 20/14 8/3 makes more sense. However, with the cube turned, being aggressive here is the best. Although the double hit does have risk, the rewards will be quite great if White flunks. Even if White hits back, Blue has lots of things going for it, for example the White blot on 17-point waiting to be scooped up.

Alan Alsop: 8/2*, 6/1*.
In danger of being gammoned Whites game is not in good shape and is looking to consolidate his position very quickly. If Blue decides to play a positional game this would certainly play into Whites hand. Blue can keep White well and truly strung out by keeping White dancing. Hitting both is right here with Whites two blots in the air and a stronger home board Blues blots can be utilised to maximum effect. Hit both.

Chuck Bower: 8/2*, 6/1*.
White is vulnerable and Blue should take maximum advantage. Witha better board and White having three blots with no anchor, attacking seems mandatory. As was the case in problem 4, two opp checkers on the bar is powerful. Even when White enters Blue will be in good position to continue the attack. "Kick 'em when they're down" is poor sportsmanship in most endeavors, but just sound tactics at backgammon.

George Klitsas: 8/2*, 6/1*.
The so called "overkill" of the opponent is to be avoided when the cube is in the middle or on our side (in other words when we have access to the cube) but not at all when we have sent it over. Much better than any other move, looks the attacking, bold, blitzing, anchor-denying, all-out play 8/2* 6/1*. This play has also another, a hidden one, strategic element. Blue wants to give himself the chance, while White will be trying to enter both of his blots from the bar, to get rid of White's blot/builder on the seventeen point.

Laila Leonhardt: 14/8, 6/1*.
Prime, hit and clean up.
Three good deeds in one roll.
Prime: to make it harder for White to get back into the game if Blueshould get hit.
Hit: Keep White occupied in the air, take away Whites flexibility andmake the chance for blitzing and winning a gammon larger
Clean up: Blots are good, many blots can be dangerous. The more looseblots you have laying around the bigger the chance that you wont recover from White hitting or rolling a joker.

Mary Lee Pinkney: 8/2*, 6/1*.
My answer to this �blotful� problem is to double hit with 8/2*, 6/1*.
By double hitting, White will now have two men sitting on the bar withBlue having the stronger inner board. Blue should be able to hit theWhite�s blot on the 17 point shortly. Blue will then have three ofWhite�s men sent back, which may lead to a gammon (and the cube hasalready been turned, so a gammon counts).
Also, by hitting both of White�s men this obviously keeps White fromhitting Blue�s outer board blots and from making valuable points (andprogress) in the game.

Snowie: 8/2*, 6/1*.
Knock him down and keep him down. Attack is the name of the game. I havethe stronger inner board, he has yet another blot waiting in the wings,and while I am a bit short on ammunition for a full blitz I have plenty ofmaterial to make another point or two and keep White on the bar. Lesspassive plays give White a chance to anchor and get off easily. Myplay leaves a lot of blots, but the counterattack danger isn't too great.

Marty Storer: 8/2*, 6/1*.
Blue should attack before White can consolidate.Hitting twice isn't that risky, and promises biggains when White misses. Even if he hits, he maystill be in trouble; Blue may still improve theboard, and White has a third blot in direct range.Hitting twice is the best way to win a gammon.Blue has no cube access, so there are no overkillconsiderations.

Bob Stringer: 20/14, 13/8.
The double hit is tempting, but no. While I have a good game, itcould go south in a hurry if I take too big a risk. I'll forego asingle hit for the same reason - why mess with a good game, whenit can be improved by other means? Making the 8 point looks likethe correct play, since it blocks the 2 point. Getting the lastman out of White's board also looks like a fine idea. Ccombiningthe two concepts leads to 20/14, 13/8.

Casper van der Tak: 8/2*, 6/1*.
Many blots around - this is a tactical position. Blue has the advantage in board strength, the ability to put in a double first strike, and an additional checker to pick up. To me, the double hit stands out here.

Kit Woolsey: 14/8, 6/1*.
The double-hit is tempting, but thats an awful lot of blots to leavelying around. The eight point has lasting value, and this clearsup a couple of blots conveniently. One loose hit gives me the tempofor a possible attack without risking a major disaster if it backfires.

Chris Yep: 8/2*, 6/1*.
Blue has to give White a fair number of shots no matter what he plays. Even a "safe" move like 20/14 8/3 gives White 14(!) indirect shots. 14/8 9/4 cuts down on the number of shots at the outfield blot, but even this move is not so safe. White will then have 10 numbers to make the 5 point on Blue's head (5-3, 5-1, 3-1, 5-5, 4-4, and 1-1; let's also throw in 3-3 since White at least gets another inner board point out of it) and 6 numbers (6-3, 5-4, 6-4) to hit Blue's 11-point blot, a total of at least 16 strong numbers, some of them crushing. Other plays have results similar to either 20/14 8/3 or 14/8 9/4. The only play which doesn't fall into this category is 8/2* 6/1*. This gives White 21 shots (1s, 2s, and 5-5), but as we've seen from the above analysis, this is not much higher than the other candidate plays. White is caught without an anchor, while Blue has the stronger board and is shooting at a 3rd blot. I strongly believe Blue should hit twice.

Summary: Our blitz-hungry panel went straight for the jugular with the double-hit.Maybe that is right, but 6 blots is a lot of blots, and one builder is veryfew builders. I'm not convinced yet.