| 136 99 |                          | White money game Blue |
Problem #8 Play Votes Score8/3, 6/3 4 10018/15, 18/13 3 908/5, 8/3 2 807/2, 6/3 2 80
Chuck Bower: 18/15, 18/13.
Over-the-board I think I would likely make the tweener play of3(2), giving Blue some shots but keeping the anchor and improvingthe board. This might be the best play, but....
In the December 99 issue of the Hoosier Backgammon Club newsletter I wrote an article about a similar position. There bringing bothcheckers into the outfield with a 6-5 roll (while holding the 23-point anchor) was better by a Whopper amount than its nearestcompetitor. Bringing both checkers off the opponent's barpointhere does leave a ton of shots, but two of the three Fram indicators point towards this: opp's position is improving while your own is deteriorating. Throw in White's homeboard blot (not a Fram indicator) and that hopefully offsets some future shots White is likely to get.
I don't mean to suggest that the alternatives here are whoppers. Still, I'm going with the pay *big* now play. Maybe we're notsupposed to go back into the literature for help on these problems,but there ought to be some compensation for writing articles!
Nigel Buchan: 8/3, 6/3.
Just got to make the 3pt, it's the only move that keeps any pressure on White. This problem has the same timing difficulties as no7 but a hit here could be serious. Keeping the 18pt gives me a life- line and with the cube on my side there is still a lot of play left in this position.
Tom Cunningham: 8/5, 8/3.
I think 8/3 8/5 is best because it only leaves 11 shots.If I am hit I still have my anchor to get to safety and maybe get back into the game. 8/3 6/3 is also playable but it allow White to hit with 13 shots and also gain even more control of the outfield.
George Klitsas: 8/3, 6/3.
If Blue decides to keep the anchor on the 18 point, then making the 3 point and leaving a shot (8/3 6/3) looks clear to me. White has a blot on his 3 point as well and, unless he hits and covers, he is at a (temporary, perhaps, but real) disadvantage in made home board points. Extremely difficult to evaluate is leaving the anchor now (18/15 18/13), duplicating the hitting threes. Probably close, but, between paying now and paying later, I will choose to semi-pay now (8/3 6/3).
Laila Leonhardt: 7/2, 6/3.
Having no wish to loose a gammon and not much future in the position go orstay, my vote goes for staying and crossing fingers.Some duplication can be achieved by leaving, but always leaving White afavorite to hit a shot.It's not a run for it now position. Even if not hit, it would still takesome luck to get out of this and with only a 3 point board it is not goingto make much if White has made the 3 point or not.I would take my chance for a better roll next time- a double or a 6-5 or 6-418-15 18-13 would be attractive if White was positioned a little furtherback in Blue's homeboard not leaving indirect 9's
Snowie: 8/3, 6/3.
There is very likely to be some blot-hitting this game, and I should getas ready for this as possible by making the fourth inner board point.Nothing else is particularly constructive anyway.
Bob Stringer: 7/2, 6/3.
I'm crunching and there's not much I can do about it except bidemy time, of which not a whole lot is left. 8/3, 6/3 is reasonable,what with White's blot on his 3 point, but I don't see an encore.7/2, 6/3 plays it safe, while maintaining the 8 point, which isstill doing a bit of good in front of White's back men.
Casper van der Tak: 18/15, 18/13.
Blue is ahead in the race, so should aim to convert into a race. Better make a bolt for it now that White has a blot in his board than to wait, and at any rate, Blue does not really have a constructive waiting move (8/3 6/3 builds a point, but breaks the 8 and leaves a blot in the process. 18/15 18/13 is the best way to break from the anchor - last hits and covers.
Kit Woolsey: 8/5, 8/3.
The five point is the point I really need, and this is the way toget it. Playing safe is way too ugly. Making the three point leavesme with difficulties on my next roll. Running the back checkers givesWhite too many good numbers, and even if it works I have a lot of work to do.
Chris Yep: 8/3, 6/3.
Once again I don't like running from the anchor. There are two reasons for this. (1) White is running out of time himself (though White is still winning the timing battle), (2) the alternative is very constructive (e.g. making a 4-point board by making the 3 point). Instead I like 8/3 6/3. Blue can afford some risk due to White's inner board blot, thus either 18/15 18/13 and 8/3 6/3 seem reasonable, however I prefer making a solid board first, and waiting to run later. With some luck Blue will have enough time to roll high doubles before being forced off the anchor. Alternatively he may even be able to win the timing battle ("winning" is a subjective term here since it generally refers to White having to break the 21-point anchor and Blue getting fly shots in the outfield). Making a run for it would be fine if Blue's position were more desperate and if it didn't leave so many shots (24 immediate shots, including 9s and 11s). Here, however, I think Blue does best by being patient and playing the quieter 8/3 6/3.
Summary: Another problem which profided a wide diversity of answers.Once again, the proper theme is far from clear.