Allen Adams: 24/21, 11/7.
White has the 5-point locked up, so sealing up the 7-point with the 4 seems best. The question is, do you add another blot to be hit by moving 13/10 or do you put pressure on the White blot on the 16-point by moving 24-21. Although there is some risk by moving up to the 21-point, there are nice rewards if the blot isn't hit or if the blot on the 15-point is hit and it returns to White's home board as an asset to lock up the 21-point, for example. There are more positives with 24/21 rather than 13/10, so that's the move.

Alan Alsop: 24/21, 11/7.
Blue will need to tidy up his blots on this move. White is entrenched on the 5 pt and with builders 9 throws can make a useful pt in his home board. Blue can't cover everything with this move but can achieve a significant point. With White on the 5 pt either the 11 pt or the bar pt is available. The 11 pt if made will expose the bar pt with a double shot and it will be taken out if rolled. The resulting position would not greatly improve Blues position. A stronger play of making the bar pt would be better, starting a prime with 3 men behind it. I won't bring a man from the midpt, that's too many blots. The only logical 3 left is moving up from the back But at least I am keeping my men connected.

Chuck Bower: 15/11, 7/4.
With four blots, a race lead, and no anchor, consolidating seemsprudent. Meanwhile, keeping the unthreatened back checker out of harms way looks like a good plan. When the rest of the board is rock solid Blue can think about moving it. Both 11-point and 7-point are valuable. Note the added bonus of White's hitting loose on his 10-point because it brings a builder comfortably into position. I think these considerations point at 15/11 with 7/4 as the followup.

George Klitsas: 24/21, 11/7.
After the obvious 11/7, Blue has two options, namely 24/21 and 13/10. I think that most players would play almost automatically the correct 24/21 and not the most sophisticated but wrong 13/10. The latter creates a third blot and, although it's true that if Blue makes eventually his ten or nine point, this would be a great improvement, this scenario is simply too optimistic. I vote for 24/21 11/7.

Laila Leonhardt: 15/11, 7/4.
A small lead in the race and have escaped with 1 back checker.Something Blue would like to hold on to if he can.Blue wants to avoid getting hit and try to make a safe return to keep his advantage over White.Playing to the 4 point minimizes shots but also duplicates the 3/1 and 3/4 that White would be using to make the 5-point.

Mary Lee Pinkney: 24/21, 11/7.
I would definitely move 24/21, 11/7 in this position.
11/7 cleans up two blots, makes the bar point and a small blockade(3-point prime) in the process.
Moving out from 24 to 21 puts a Blue checker in range (6 points away) ofBlue�s other blot sitting out on the 15 point. It would be nice tosecure an anchor on the 15 point next roll, but if this doesn�t happenat least now the blot on the 15 point has back-up (for a return shot) ifit gets hit by White on the next roll.
Blue is slightly ahead in the race so it looks good to deal with hisfour blots, and to secure the bar point in the process.

Snowie: 24/21, 11/7.
This looks like the natural play. The bar point is part of my blockade,and advancing the back checker puts all my men into communication. Otherplays leave my position unnecessarily disjointed.

Marty Storer: 24/21, 11/7.
The 7 point is so attractive here that I narrow thechoices down to 11/7 13/10 and 11/7 24/21. 11/76/3 is a weenie play that does nothing constructive;the other plays try for more. 24/21 goes for escapeand may generate favorable contact; putting the backchecker in communication with the one on the 15 pointhas some value, and double hits aren't to be fearedmuch.13/10 isn't overly dangerous, but it's more dangerousthan 24/21. By comparison, slotting the 10 pointdoes less about escape, takes a bigger risk of racingsetback, leaves three very potent double-hit numbersincluding devastating 55, and gives more consolidationheadaches whether White hits or misses.

Bob Stringer: 15/11, 7/4.
Once again a veritable plethora of blots to be cleaned up. I'dmake the 3 point if I could do it while leaving only one blot inthe outfield, but no can do here. Consequently, I'm determined toplay the 4 either 15/11 or 11/7. I don't like the latter, since ifWhite hits he not only sends a man back, he gets a formidableoutfield. 24/21, 15/11 gives White too much opportunity forattack, so that leaves the chosen play.

Casper van der Tak: 24/21, 11/7.
Makes a point, prepares to escape, and makes it the most difficult for White to catch up in the race by hitting. I am not sure about the alternative, everything seems to leave a lot of shots and blots, except 15/11 7/4, but that is very difficult to put back together again.

Kit Woolsey: 15/11, 7/4.
Making the bar point isn't so valuable with White camped on my five point.The eleven point is a great blocking point here, and I start an innerboard point which may prove to be important.

Chris Yep: 24/21, 11/7.
White has already made an advanced anchor so there is only small value to making the 3 point (7/3 6/3). Blue enjoys a modest race lead and has 2 men back to White's 3 men back. Putting this all together, I like 24/21 11/7 which does the best to help preserve Blue's racing edge, as well as consolidating Blue's front position by making the bar point.

Summary: The majority of the panel went for the solid bar pointalong with advancing the back checker. Certainly very reasonable, butit does diversify White's hitting numbers. It is not clear to me thatthe long term benefits outweigh the immediate disasters.

166








155

0123456bar789101112

0123456bar789101112
White



money game




Blue

Problem #6   Play          Votes   Score24/21, 11/7        8      10015/11, 7/4         4       8024/21, 15/11       0       4013/10, 11/7        0       4011/7, 6/3          0       407/3, 6/3           0       40