sol4027m.htm | Gammonline - Backgammon Resources

Allen Adams: 24/23, 11/7.
A pretty lousy roll. Blue would like to retain as much flexibility as possible after this move. If the cube weren't turned, trying to seal up the 5-point may be worth the move to 6/5. Trying to get the back man moving up to the 20-point just seems to be asking to worry about moving that blot while trying to gain more home board points for Blue. 24/23 11/7 gets more ammo for the Blue home board while risking the hit on the 2-point. Seems to be a good trade off.

Alan Alsop: 24/23, 11/7.
White has somehow got three men stuck on the 2 pt, not normally recommended. Allowing Blue a little more leeway in his forward play. White has little ammunition bearing down into his home board. I would like to move up my back man to cover his 8 pt in case he breaks a man off this pt. It has little constructive use elsewhere as slotting is not right with one man back. Blue has a good lead and I would not want to waste it by being hit unnecessary. Bringing the other man to the bar pt maximising distribution would complete my move.

Chuck Bower: 24/20, 8/7.
White sorely wants to take at least one checker off the 23-point,and that means 1's, 2's, and 3's are spoken for. This makes 24/20 a kind of duplication. Staying on the 11-point gives White only 6-3 to hit compared to 5-3 and 6-2 if Blue moves up 11/10.

George Klitsas: 24/23, 11/7.
After the obvious 11/7, which creates a usually underestimated but in fact a more-than-one-thinks powerful formation, 6/5 looks to me like an overplay (risking a big loss in race terms when hit by White with a three) of a position that has the potential to improve in a natural way. For that reason, I vote for 24/23 11/7.

Laila Leonhardt: 24/23, 11/7.
Nice lead in the race and great potential with White stuck on the 2 point.'My absolute priority here is not to get hit by a fly shot or put a checker under the gun giving White a chance to take back control of the game.Wait with the risky moves until you have some real gain from them.Play it safe here and wait for White to try for an advanced anchor or escape or for your rolls to naturally build the points.

Mary Lee Pinkney: 24/20, 6/5.
I think the best move in this situation is to work both sides of theboard with making the 24/20, 6/5 play.
It is good to move Blue�s back man from 24 to 20 since this moves Blueforward in preparation to escape, since Blue is ahead in the race.

I think we have to slot the 5 point (from 6 to 5) in order to unstackthe candlestick on the 6 point, with hopes of covering this blot nextroll and to make a four-point prime. Blue has a blot back on the 11point, which is 6 points away from the 5 point. There are also extramen on the 6 point (1 away), an extra builder on the 8 point (3 away)and an extra builder on the 13 point (8 away) to cover next roll.Please note that if Blue is able to successfully escape his back manthen he will need this prime to assist him with bringing his men safelyinto his home board, and with making it more difficult for White�s backmen to escape as well.

Snowie: 24/23, 11/7.
Three checkers on each point and no blots feels so good. The back checkerdoesn't have to escape now. The focus is on hemming in that mess onmy two point before White gets a chance to develop.

Marty Storer: 24/23, 11/7.
Blue should concentrate on forward improvement andavoid plays with 24/20. With more checkers back,an anchor, and a better inner board, White iseager to attack, so Blue shouldn't put Junior ona point White would love to make. Blue can play11/7 24/23 safely, or 11/7 6/5, trying for a quickprime. Classical theory says to play 11/7 24/23,keeping the option open to make the 5 point naturally,and not jeopardizing the big racing lead and one-back-to-three edge. I'll agree with that, regretfullyeschewing the classical beauty of 6/5.

Bob Stringer: 24/23, 11/7.
I'm ahead in the race and White's 3 men piled on the 2 point lookpretty sick, but he has the stronger board and an anchor, whichsuggest some caution. I don't see any reason for 24/20, whichsuddenly gives White something to do. Stay back until I can jumpinto the outfield. 6/5, however, is very tempting, for if hemisses I'm then a big favorite to make the 4 prime. Whether it'sworth risking the hit and the loss of the racing lead depends uponwhat else is available. 11/7, 8/7 is way too passive andinflexible. Same for 13/8. So that leaves slotting (11/7, 6/5, not24/20, 6/5, which gives White too much too shoot at) versus 24/23,11/7. I opt for the latter. Since there's a comfortable,reasonable alternative, I'm less inclined to take a risk byslotting. 24/23 isn't bad either, since White's 8 point isstripped.

Casper van der Tak: 24/23, 11/7.
Three checkers back against one - play safe. No need for 24/20 8/7; Blue can concentrate on offense, and leap the back checker later. Hence 11/7. After that 24/23 stands out as the only play that preserves the active builders.

Kit Woolsey: 24/23, 11/7.
There is no reason to rush things. My back checker is not in trouble.Moving to the 20 point just asks to be attacked. I will try to buildan inner board point with my builders and put pressure on White's backcheckers.

Chris Yep: 24/23, 11/7.
The timing is roughly even (Blue has a big race lead, but White has 2 extra back men). It looks like a close call to whether or not Blue should move up (24/20). I have a slight preference for staying back. There will probably be time to escape later so Blue will most likely want to work on his offense next turn. If Blue plays 24/20, White will usually hit loose, diminishing Blue's opportunities to improve his offensive structure next turn. Instead I like staying back and developing with 11/7 24/23. 11/7 6/5 is also possible, but the quiet play looks better since Blue still has a good chance of making the 5 point naturally on a future turn.

Summary: The panel properly concluded that there was no rush toadvance the back checker. If Blue can extend the blockade againstWhite's back checkers, the back checker will take care of itself. Rightnow Blue does not want to be on the bar while working on his offense.