sol8031m.htm | Gammonline - Backgammon Resources

Chuck Bower: 24/16.
Making the anchor is a first instinct, but with such a large racelead (and the corresponding timing disadvantage), Blue won't bekeeping it for long. Best to get started home. Three plays aretempting and all involve 21/16. Continuing to the midpoint isone option. The simplicity and cleanliness of this play isappealing, but with White on the bar it seems one can do more.Bringing a builder down with 13/10 has value. Blue is goingto need to make the 4- and 5-points eventually, why not soon?IMO, this play tries to do too much, leaving the back checkerdisconnected and the second to last checker unprotected.My preference is 24/21. Communicating is very often correctwhen opp is on the bar, since both checkers can't be attacked(except possibly with doublets). Further, Blue gets bothcheckers started home, and keeps open the option of relinking,for example by rolling another 5 next turn.

George Klitsas: 21/13.
The simple running play 21/13 looks best. White is the one that would welcome complications, not Blue (for example, after 24/16 or 21/16 13/10 or 21/18 13/8). Making the 21 point is not the right idea, since the timing is against Blue and, barring big doubles, if he plays 24/21 13/8, he will have a hard time trying to bring home his position.

Laila Leonhardt: 21/13.
Primary goal must be to escape the back checkers and try to leap back as safely as possible again the holding game and avoid any contact that will bring additional checkers back. Spread out the checkers and use the flexibility for bringing them home, may just cause more contact, which only benefits White here. Making an anchor to just break it at first given opportunity is a pure waste of an escaping roll, since White poses no threat to Blue at this point.

Mary Lee Pinkney: 21/13.
My choice is to run safely to the midpoint with 21/13. I am ahead in the race, and Blue has no structure on his side of the board.

Snowie: 21/13.
Simple plays for simple souls. I'm well ahead in the race, so I simplymove one back checker to safety and let White worry about the near-impossibletask of containing my other back checker when he is on the bar and has noboard at all. Other plays risk needless complications as well as givingWhite some jokers.

Marty Storer: 21/13.
With his blocking structure about as good as it's going to get, Blueshould try to disengage. Therefore making the 21 point is the wrongidea. Blue is far ahead in the race and 21/13 is the most straightforwardracing move. 24/16 is OK but gives White a bit too much contact.

Bob Stringer: 21/13.
Ahead in the race, and there's nothing strikingly productive to bedone. Getting one of the back checkers out safely seems productiveenough.

Casper van der Tak: 21/13.
Blue has a substantial lead in the race, so Blue should try to bring his checkers home with minimal fuss. A play with the back checkers in indicated. 24/16 leaves a bunch of shots that may complicate matters, and 24/21 13/8 wastes time moving from the mid point. Just playing 21/13 escapes a checker safely, and leaves Blue flexible enough to handle future rolls.

Kit Woolsey: 24/16.
I'm well ahead in the race, so some kind of racing play is called for.21/13 is okay, but that leaves my back checker stranded where it may getprimed in the future. In addition, that play leaves White free todrop checkers in his outer board. I think it is more important tocover the entire board with this roll and play 24/16. Now if White doesn'troll a hitting number he will have a difficult time playing safely, andmy bem will be better placed for further improvement. If I am hit, it ishardly the end of the world.

Chris Yep: 21/13.
All the signs point to a running play. Blue doesn't really need an anchor, since White only has a 1-point board. Blue has a 48-pip race lead. Blue is running out of playable moves in the outfield (if he doesn't run). With such a large race lead, Blue should just try to convert the game into a race. I prefer 21/13, completely safetying one back man and fortifying Blue's almost-stripped midpoint. 24/16 maintains connectivity, but doesn't guarantee either checker safety next turn.

Summary: The panel was strongly in favor of the very safe runningplay. That could certainly be right, but I'm still not convinced thatBlue shouldn't be trying to take advantage of this respite and domore with the position.